Short abstract

This paper focuses on research of the open science transformation and the possible effects on research grant success (negative, neutral or positive) and the possible shifts in the nature of research grant success towards more teamwork / collaboration and more societal impact.

Long abstract

The open science movement builds on broadening the academic scope towards open access, FAIR data and software, societal impact, public engagement, and alternative forms of recognition and rewards in academia with more emphasis on team science and leadership. Little or nothing is known about the open science effects on research grant success of universities that have applied the new open science principles. This paper presents a case study of one Dutch university that started an open science program in 2018. The focus of the case study is on grant success data covering the period 2018-2024 including the following grants:

• National individual research grants through the Dutch funder NWO (VENI, VIDI, VICI and Rubicon);

• International individual research grants through EU funding such as ERC starting, consolidator and advanced grants;

• National and international collective grants, for example NWO Zwaartekracht;

• National and international grants explicitly aimed at societal impact such as the Dutch NWA grants.

The explorative data analysis focuses on possible positive and negative effects of applying open science on annual individual and collective research grants. The paper also looks at potential shifts in grant success, in particular a shift from individual to collective research grants linked to team science in the open science movement, and a shift towards impact focused research grants linked to the societal impact and public engagement attention in open science. Where possible the data of the Dutch university will be benchmarked with other Dutch universities.