A global lens: Highlighting national nuances

in researchers’ attitudes to open data 

SUMMARY

The open data movement has made remarkable progress over the past decade, but adoption remains uneven globally. While funders and publishers have implemented sharing policies, researcher attitudes vary significantly by region. Understanding these differences is crucial for tailoring effective interventions. 

The State of Open Data survey (led by Digital Science, Springer Nature and Figshare) identified geographical variations warranting deeper investigation. In 2023, partnering with King’s College London students, three countries were analysed to represent different points on the adoption spectrum, Ethiopia, Japan and the United States. 

The analysis revealed marked differences in each country. Ethiopian researchers showed the highest FAIR familiarity (36.5%), strongest support for national mandates (77%) and highest agreement with enforcement sanctions (57%). Japanese researchers sat at the opposite end: only 10% knew FAIR principles, 42% supported mandates and 36% backed enforcement. The US consistently occupied the middle ground. 

Through expert interviews with stakeholders from each region, underlying drivers were explored: funding structures, cultural factors, institutional autonomy norms and policy influence by publishers compared with funders. Findings were published as an open access white paper on Figshare, demonstrating that understanding local context is essential for promoting open research practices globally.

WHAT ACTIONS WERE TAKEN?

• Longitudinal data collection: The State of Open Data has collected over 43,000 responses across eight years, providing an unparalleled dataset for tracking shifts in researcher attitudes. This longitudinal approach enabled identification of trends over time, revealing that support for national mandates has declined across all three countries since 2020, suggesting a potential “mandate fatigue” that policymakers should consider. 
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration: King’s College London biomedical science students were engaged in the analysis, combining fresh perspectives with industry expertise. This partnership enabled deeper regional analysis than typically possible, while providing students valuable experience in real-world data analysis and science communication. 
• Contextual enrichment through expert interviews: Rather than relying on quantitative data alone, interviews were conducted with experts from each region. These conversations developed understanding about why Japanese researchers prioritize institutional over funder policies, why Ethiopian researchers see open data as a pathway to international collaboration and why US researchers increasingly question punitive approaches. This qualitative layer transformed numbers into actionable insights. 

The resulting white paper has informed policy discussions at institutions and funders, demonstrating that one-size-fits-all approaches to open data are likely to fail. Regional customization is key to driving meaningful adoption.