UNESCO Recommendation

Map of National Open Science Initiatives in Latin America and Spain.

A joint effort by LA Referencia and UNESCO to document and highlight public policies aligned with the Open Science Recommendation in the region.

Explore Initiatives View Recommendation

What is this mapping about?

This project aims to identify and systematize permanent national public initiatives that contribute to the implementation of UNESCO’s Open Science Recommendation. The information gathered will serve as a reference source on LA Referencia’s website, with mechanisms in place for regular updates. The goal is to highlight and provide an overview of the efforts made by various governments across Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Spain, in advancing the objectives of Open Science.

Surveyed dimensions

UNESCO Policy Objectives

  • Promote a common definition of open science and its benefits.
  • Create an enabling policy environment for open science.
  • Invest in open science infrastructures and services.
  • Invest in human resources, training and digital literacy.
  • Foster a culture of open science and align incentives.
  • Promote innovative approaches in the scientific process.
  • Encourage international cooperation and reduce digital and technological gaps.

Open Scientific Knowledge

  • Scientific Production.
  • Open Research Data.
  • Open Educational Resources.
  • Open-Source Software and Source Code.
  • Open-Source Hardware.

Open Engagement of Societal Actors

  • Citizen Science.
  • Crowdfunding.
  • Collective Production.
  • Scientific Volunteering.

Open dialogues and additional dimensions

  • Indigenous Peoples.
  • Marginalized Researchers.
  • Local Communities.
  • Virtual and Physical Infrastructures.
  • National and Institutional Regulatory Frameworks.
  • Open Evaluation of Science.
  • Open Innovation and Open and Reproducible Research.

What is UNESCO’s Recommendation on Open Science?

Adopted in 2021 by UNESCO Member States, the Recommendation on Open Science is the first international framework that defines the principles and actions needed to foster a more accessible, inclusive, and collaborative scientific landscape. The Recommendation promotes open access to scientific data and findings, the development of appropriate infrastructures and regulatory frameworks, and global cooperation to reduce technological and knowledge gaps.

Through this initiative, UNESCO aims to encourage countries to adopt policies and practices that ensure equitable access to scientific output, benefiting both the research community and society at large.

Mapping methodology

  • Information provided by the member nodes of LA Referencia.
  • The document “Open Access Policies in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the European Union: Progress Toward a Political Dialogue,” prepared by Pilar Rico and Laura Bonora.
  • An analysis of official government websites to identify current policies and programs.

We seek the collaboration of national institutions to validate the collected information and fill in any missing data.

This mapping was carried out in 2024 and will be updated periodically. While it aims to include all relevant policies, some may not yet be incorporated. Therefore, we invite institutions to report new initiatives or changes to existing ones to help keep the information up to date.

Acknowledgments

This work has been made possible thanks to the collaboration of UNA Costa Rica, through CONARE, whose team of fellows supported the systematization of information and the development of the software that enables the consultation and updating of the mapping.

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