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The overall BE OPEN methodology follows a systematic implementation solution that depicts the different activities to be implemented for fostering Open Science in transport research as well as the interrelations among them.

BE OPEN will initially determine proper clusters of key actors in transport research and will produce “Open Science” terminology. A framework to enable a common understanding of all stakeholders will be developed realising the use of Open Science in the transport domain and providing focused objectives and needs of the key categories of actors. It will gather common principles, definitions and technical data for enhancing the movement to make scientific research accessible and will produce proper methodologies to optimize the effectiveness of “Open Science” actions studying best practices and effective modern technologies.

Moreover, an inventory of Open Science resources (research outcomes, services and research data infrastructures) will be developed providing detailed information of Open resources opportunities for all transport modes (i.e. road, rail, water, air) and setting the basis for analysing the existing Open Science services and research data infrastructures (with special focus on the EOSC).

Capitalizing upon the initiatives of the European Commission and with the support of the Advisory Board of the project, BE OPEN will provide a transparent forum and observatory – TOPOS which will act as an evidence-based, community driven sharing of knowledge and experiences, and will enable strategic planning and networking between different countries and research programmes covering the entire transport research network and leading to an agreed ambition and smart coordination services for building Open Science platforms in transport research.

Then, a regulatory and policy framework “Code of Conduct” will be developed to provide the legal and ethical guidance needed to operationalize Open Science principles at regional, European and international level. This will follow the agreed ambition of stakeholders for a flexible and integral approach of building Open Science platforms for transferring knowledge and experiences.

A set of guidelines for decision making and planning will be formulated to establish the steps for the efficient implementation of technical interoperability, data and information interoperability, deploying of new skills, new schemes for research evaluation and collaborative ways of working, as well as privacy and legal issues. Respective constraints and bottlenecks will be analyzed and a detailed roadmap will be concluded (extending beyond the project period) to support flexible planning by matching short-term and long-term goals with specific solutions that will offer long-term benefits to the stakeholders.

Moreover, complementary activities of strategic planning and networking between different countries and research programmes are also proposed. These result in the awareness-raising and enhance communication accompanying dissemination of transport research initiatives.

The three mega themes used by BE OPEN to operationalize Open Science in transport will be along the Standardize-Regulate-Promote themes.

  • the standardization actions about existing Open Science services and infrastructures will be promoted and verified by the relevant stakeholders (WP1)
  • new operational / business models will be proposed to support Open Science exploitation (WP2) the set-up of the TOPOS Observatory and Forum will promote communication and networking among stakeholders in the transport research area (WP3)
  • proper regulatory schemes regarding legal and privacy issues are required to make Open Science actions sustainable (WP4)
  • a roadmap and corresponding guidelines based on the FAIR principles will be presented to ensure the successful implementation of the actions promoting Open Science in the area of transport (WP5)
  • a dissemination, outreach and engagement strategy will promote building Open Science platforms at regional, European and international level (WP6)