Open Science

SPK promotes cultural change in scientific working methods and communication. For greater transparency and quality in science and for broader participation.

In November 2013, the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) added  its signature to the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities. In April 2016, it also signed the affirmatory note on publishing research data in an unrestricted and citable form. The aim of these white papers is to promote open access. In 2018, the SPK took a clear, affirmative stance on another aspect of open access by adopting the Digital Manifesto.

With the adoption of its own Open Science Declaration in November 2021, the SPK has further strengthened and expanded its commitment to the principles of open science. This can be defined as open access to publications, research and cultural data, scientific software, educational material, and other research findings and sources, with as few financial, technical, and legal hurdles as possible. Continued action in the field of open science – and thus open access, open data, and open/reproducible research – is an integral component of the SPK's ongoing development strategy. In addition, the SPK strives to broaden social participation through measures such as citizen science projects, for example. The SPK actively upholds its commitment to the goals of the Berlin Open Access Strategy; it is also a partner in the Berlin University Alliance, the Berlin Research 50 and the German National Research Data Infrastructure, all of which operate in accordance with the principles of open science.

The SPK is promoting structural change in science, culture, and education on the basis of open science through a range of measures specified in the Open Science Declaration.

As part of the measures to implement the Open Science Declaration adopted in November 2021, it was decided, among other things, to set up an Open Access Publication Fund for SPK employees. This fund can be used to cover the costs of publishing scientific articles in open access according to certain requirements – a financial reason for not publishing in open access (anymore) is thus eliminated.