UKRN Working Paper 9: UKRN Open Research Indicators: Final Report

This working paper reports on six pilot projects conducted as part of the UK Reproducibility Network’s Open Research Programme (ORP) to explore the feasibility of developing automated indicators for monitoring open research practices across UK universities. The pilots examined data quality, metadata standards, and automated extraction methods across six areas: FAIR data, open data, data availability statements, downstream effects of data sharing, pre-registration, and the use of the CRediT taxonomy. The findings highlight areas of promise, particularly pre-registration and elements of FAIRness, while also identifying major challenges related to inconsistent metadata, terminology, and workflows. The report outlines key recommendations for improving interoperability, enhancing data standards, and supporting the responsible development of future monitoring infrastructure.