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Ireland’s National Open Research Forum
Established in 2017 to guide and progress Open Research in Ireland, the National Open Research Forum (NORF) has developed national objectives and priorities for this key policy agenda, most recently through the National Action Plan for Open Research 2022–2030, published and delivered under Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy.
NORF is funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) through the Higher Education Authority (HEA). It is managed by the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI), which is headquartered under the legal entity of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA).
National Action Plan for Open Research
Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030 which was published in the DRI repository in November 2022, outlines objectives and actions for the next chapter in Ireland’s transition towards open research. It serves as a roadmap for the implementation of open research across Ireland, outlining national goals and coordinated actions that will assist the Irish research system as a whole to better support open research practices.
The National Action Plan is structured according to three themes: Establishing a culture of open research; achieving 100% open access to research publications; and enabling FAIR research data and other outputs.
The National Action Plan has been endorsed by over 50 national and international stakeholder organisations.
Open Research Fund projects
In 2022, NORF awarded funding to six collaborative projects to implement priority actions in the National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030. In 2023, NORF awarded funding to a further 13 projects, four under the Strand I: Priority Actions funding call and nine under the Strand II: Open Research Stimulus funding call. By building national capacity and infrastructure for open research, these projects will support the visibility and impact of Irish research and help progress Ireland’s strategic goals for research and innovation under Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy.
Spotlight
We are excited to announce the launch of a new national resource for the Responsible Use of Research Metrics (RURM). This module is available here.
NORF outputs
National Persistent Identifier (PID) Strategy and Roadmap
(October 2024)
National Open Research Landscape Report
(December 2021)
Latest news
NORF and DRI at the RDA 24th Virtual Plenary
The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) and the National Open Research Forum (NORF) are looking forward to attending the 24th Research Data Alliance (RDA)...
NORF 2025 Open Research Fund Supports the Sustainability and Growth of Open Research Networks in Ireland
NORF’s 2025 Open Research Fund is now open to proposals. This year, the fund specifically targets the sustainability and growth of open research networks...
Events
NORF and DRI at the RDA 24th Virtual Plenary
The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) and the National Open Research Forum (NORF) are looking forward to attending the 24th Research Data Alliance (RDA)...
Launch of the GATE- Engage with an Open Science Learning Community
On March 18, 2025, the GATE initiative hosted it's first community meeting, aimed at introducing the GATE platform and it's mission to foster collaboration...
Shaping the Future of Open Research in Ireland – Upcoming ABOARD Workshops
What is the ABOARD Project? ABOARD is a NORF-funded project dedicated to advancing Open Research (OR), Responsible Research Assessment (RRA) and the Use of...