On September 20, 2024, the MIT Press, with funding from the National Science Foundation, hosted a workshop in Washington, DC, focused on building an evidence base to inform the future of open science and research policy. With the January 2026 implementation date for new U.S. public access requirements fast approaching, the workshop gathered a diverse group of experts to explore how evolving open research policies can best support scientific progress. The discussions centered around a range of critical questions that could shape the open science agenda moving forward.
One of the central themes of the workshop was the use of scenario modeling to better understand the potential outcomes—both intended and unintended—of new science communication policies. For example, how might shifts to Green open access impact subscription revenues for publishers or the journal budgets of universities? The workshop emphasized the need for collaborative efforts between governments, funders, researchers, and publishers to develop scenario models that can inform effective policy decisions.
The workshop also highlighted the importance of standardized measures to assess the impact of open science practices. In particular, participants discussed the challenges and benefits of various peer review models, including how newer approaches could improve trust in scientific outputs. Additionally, the group explored the economic implications of open science policies on university presses, research societies, and individual researchers, including the financial burden of open data policies and strategies for mitigating these costs.
Finally, the workshop addressed the future of research infrastructure, including preprint servers, data repositories, and metadata standards. Participants discussed the need for long-term sustainability in these systems and identified key areas for improvement. The full report from the workshop, which outlines these discussions in greater detail and prioritizes actionable research questions, is available in this PDF file. Researchers are encouraged to explore the report to gain deeper insights into the future of open research policy.
Click here for the Japanese version.