A recent addition to The State of Open Data series, titled ‘From Theory to Practice,’ offers practical insights into how the research community is dealing with the challenges of sharing data. It delves into the necessary support for researchers and underscores the significance of fostering a more collaborative approach to open data and research.

This marks the first time, in the series’ nine-year history, that a supplementary publication expands on the main report, which has compiled years of survey results from tens of thousands of researchers worldwide regarding open data.

Each case study and commentary in ‘From Theory to Practice‘ presents the viewpoint of a different research stakeholder group:

1. Funding Bodies: The report discusses the NIH Generalist Repository Ecosystem Initiative and how it addresses community needs for FAIR data sharing and discovery.
2. Scholarly Publishers: Examining how to put data policies into operation through collaborative approaches, the report notes the current momentum in this direction.
3. University Libraries: Highlighting the diverse needs of researchers, the report investigates how institutional libraries tailor their support accordingly, emphasizing that one size does not fit all.
4. Industry: The report explores how Open Pharma is contributing to responsible data sharing in pharmaceutical research publications.

The report underscores the pivotal role of collaboration in backing researchers, advocating for data sharing, and advancing open research. A notable example is the NIH Generalist Repository Ecosystem Initiative (GREI), which unites various generalist data repositories in a form of “coopetition.” Despite competing interests, this initiative maintains a unified and consistent approach, ultimately benefiting researchers.

Another exemplar of collaborative efforts is showcased by Open Pharma, a non-profit, multi-sponsor collaboration driven by its members. Open Pharma is explicitly committed to strengthening partnerships further, aiming to guarantee that pharmaceutical-sponsored published research achieves transparency, accountability, accessibility, and discoverability.

“The State of Open Data 2023 deliberately took a more analytical approach to the survey data than in previous years,” the authors conclude. “Our new report—’From theory to practice’—provides essential context from key stakeholder groups within our research community.”