Building Evidence, Connecting Researchers, Informing Policy
Open Technology Research will create a sustainable global platform for research, knowledge exchange, and policy engagement. The platform will house two flagship initiatives: the Open Technology Research Network (OTRN) and the Open Technology Research Symposium (OTRS). More information will be announced in the coming weeks.
Partners
ABOUT OTR
Open technologies form the backbone of our digital world.
From open source software and hardware to open data and open content, they power the digital world and enrich our lives. Forged through collaboration and iteration, they are dominant, pervasive, industry-leading, high-quality, and frequently designed in the public interest. They are crucial for innovation, industrial competitiveness, and digital resilience, reducing barriers to entry and enabling governments, businesses, and individuals to create, innovate, and thrive in a technology- and software-driven economy.
Yet, despite their central role, open technologies and their impact in today’s society remain under-researched and under-appreciated in policy and economic debates, meaning they are undervalued, and public recognition of their importance is low. While good researchers do work on various aspects of open technologies and their impact on society, it often remains niche and interdisciplinary, the domain of single researchers and enthusiasts.
Open Technology Research exists to change that. Launched through collaboration between the Open Knowledge Foundation, Open Source Initiative, and OpenForum Europe, we will build a sustainable global platform for research, knowledge exchange, and policy engagement around the impact of open technologies.
Open Technology Research operates at the intersection of research, community, and policy. We create space for rigorous inquiry while ensuring diverse voices shape both research questions and the process of finding and delivering answers that drive impact. We seek to drive impact through four key areas: identifying critical research gaps, mobilising research capacity, connecting communities, and convening for impact.
We work transparently to identify where evidence is needed most through structured consultation with researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community members. Our research agenda will address interconnected domains and will be co-created and maintained with our community.
Strong research requires sustainable support. We will work with researchers to navigate the funding landscape and develop compelling proposals, connecting researchers to one another and linking them with opportunities and funders.
Open technology research crosses traditional boundaries. We will create spaces for meaningful exchange between researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community members, as well as online fora for them to share and connect with one another.
We will bring people together to accelerate learning and amplify policy impact through an annual Open Technology Research Symposium, creating space for deep engagement between researchers and policymakers, as well as specialised workshops, convenings, and presentations.
Open Technology Research is committed to inclusive, transparent, and participatory processes.
Open Technology Research is at an early stage of development, and we welcome your participation in shaping what it becomes. Here’s how you can engage:
Open technologies have transformed how we collaborate, innovate, and govern. Open Technology Research exists to ensure that transformation is grounded in evidence, guided by diverse perspectives, and accountable to the communities it serves. We invite you to be part of building that future.
Blog
News