NORFest

The National Open Research Festival (NORFest) is organised by Ireland’s National Open Research Forum (NORF) with the support of the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) and the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the expertise of the Festival Programme Committee. Funding for the event was provided by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Established in 2017 to drive the national agenda for open research, NORF provides a space for communication, consultation and cooperation among key stakeholders in the research system regarding strategic issues and overarching policies and procedures on open research. 

NORFest 2025 Theme: Synergies  

Ireland’s National Open Research Festival was held on 6-7 November 2025 at the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. This two-day event shone a spotlight global open science, cross-cutting policy agendas, and emerging themes in open research and innovation.

The 2025 festival centred on the theme of synergies, highlighting the interconnectedness of open research across national and international policy frameworks and research strategies. By fostering collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and innovators, the festival aimed to strengthen the integration of open research principles into the broader research landscape. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions and interactive workshops, participants explored how open research can drive meaningful change by aligning efforts across global and local research initiatives.

Event Objectives:

• Foster collaboration and dialogue on open science initiatives.
• Address policy agendas related to open research, research integrity, and research assessment reform.
• Explore emerging themes such as open-source software, AI, and knowledge security.
• Provide a platform for NORF-funded projects to share insights and progress.

NORFest 2025 Programme

View the NORFest 2025 programme.

Programme highlights include:

• • A keynote talk by Ms. Joy Owango, Founding Director of the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa);
  • Expert speakers including Franklin van der Hoeven, Programme Manager, Open Science, TU Delft; Lautaro Matas, Executive and Technical Director of LA Referencia and Rebecca Lawrence, Vice-Chair of DORA;
  • Panel discussions on ‘Global Open Research’ and ‘Why knowledge security enables Open Science’;
  • ‘Cross-cutting policy agendas’ and ‘Open Research for Innovation’ lightning talks;
  • Interactive workshops on both days of the festival from ‘Open Research 101’ to ‘Community Engagement’ workshops.

Festival Programme Committee

Michelle Doran, National Open Research Coordinator, NORF, Chair
Ailís O’Carroll, Open Research Support Officer, NORF
Beth Knazook, Research Data Manager, Digital Repository of Ireland
Alexandra Delipalta, Director, RDA Europe
Edie Davis, Programme Officer, Research Policy at Research Ireland
Joan Murphy, DARIAH-IE National Manager
Sinéad Riordán, Head of International Relations and Policy, Royal Irish Academy
Clare Dillon, Open Ireland Network
Jenny O’Neill, Research Engagement Officer, HEAnet

Previous Festivals

Read about NORFest 2023, Ireland’s inaugural National Open Research Festival.