About NORF

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Ireland’s National Open Research Forum (NORF) was established in 2017 to drive the Irish 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 in open research. The Forum combines the expertise of representatives from policy, research funding organisations, research performing organisations, the library sector, enterprise and other key stakeholders in the research system across Ireland. 

NORF is funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Innovation and Science 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.

There are two main strands of NORF’s role:

  • To develop and propose national actions to address the challenges of changing the Irish research system to strengthen, promote or better support open research practices as outlined in the National Framework on the Transition to an Open Research Environment (2019) and the National Action Plan for Open Research 2022-2030. Periodic reviews of the National Action Plan will be conducted to review progress made and release updates with further actions.
  • To oversee and guide implementation of the National Action Plan for Open Research within the context of Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy. NORF’s Open Research Fund, provided by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) through the HEA, supports the delivery of priority actions in the National Action Plan. This fund is managed by the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) and is distributed through an onward allocation process overseen by NORF.

Activity

NORF carries out a number of activities in order to fulfil its role. These include:

  • Engaging with stakeholders and the public on open research and related issues through its governance structure, discourses, training and events.
  • Helping to inform and advise policy making in Ireland and internationally.
  • Advocating for open research and its impacts and benefits for the national research system. 
  • Supporting projects in receipt of NORF funding to deliver actions in the National Action Plan for Open Research.
  • Awarding grants and commissioning expert reports for specific purposes to advance and accelerate Ireland’s progress in open research.

The Irish Research eLibrary (IReL) has been appointed as the new host of the National Open Research Forum (NORF). This transition follows a formal mandate issued by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), which reflects IReL’s national leadership in delivering open scholarship infrastructure and services across Ireland’s higher education and research landscape.The Implementation of Ireland’s National Action Plan for Open Research 2022–2030 is led by NORF within the framework of Impact 2030: Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy, which recognises the key role of open research in promoting good research practices and quality outcomes. Since 2020, NORF has been housed under the Digital Repository of Ireland at the Royal Irish Academy. This stewardship of the NORF has strengthened national coordination, advanced Ireland’s open research agenda, and laid a robust foundation for the next phase of development.

The governance transfer marks a new chapter in Ireland’s commitment to supporting a coherent and sustainable Open Research ecosystem, ensuring that researchers, institutions, and the public continue to benefit from coordinated efforts to open up access to research.