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Framework for Managing University OSS

Pattern Theme / Category

  • Awareness
  • Promoting Best Practices
  • Policy and Governance

OSPO Problem / Challenge

Often universities do not have an open source policy. How can we help them create useful policies, charters or guidelines for better and consistent OSS practices?

Context

Open Source Software (OSS) and tools form a critical part of Open Research practices. However, often there is no consistent approach or advice offered by universities about how best to use, contribute to or produce OSS. Researchers in Ireland have varying degrees of knowledge about OSS principles, practices, processes and tools.

Forces

It can often be difficult for open source advocates to know how to approach getting institutional direction on open source work. It is even more difficult to ensure approaches are consistent across multiple universities who may have to collaborate together on projects.

Even the very idea of creating a new policy may be too challenging for some.

Solution

  • Create a framework to help universities more consistently support open source in their institutions.
  • Provide multiple options, in case there may be difficulty orchestrating policy change.
  • Include information about why open source is important, and specifically important in a university setting to help convince stakeholders this is necessary.
  • Do not assume prior knowledge of open source, or its importance.

Resulting Context

The resulting framework provides guidance about how to approach creating an open source framework. It includes the following sections:

  • Introduction
  • Key Recommendations
  • What is open source?
  • Why is open source important?
    • Addressing open source myths
  • Open Source in Academia
    • Why is open source important in academia
    • Why an open source framework is essential for universities
    • Who engages with a university open source framework
    • Open Source roles in a university context
  • Implementing an Open Source Framework

Known Instance

Lero - Science Foundation Ireland’s Research Centre for Software. Spans 12 Irish universities.

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14392732

Contributor(s) & Acknowledgment

Clare Dillon, Lero