The IP4OS project is pleased to announce the publication of its Stakeholders’ perceptions of the synergy between intellectual property and open science: A cross-sectional survey, published in Open Research Europe. This study examines how researchers, research managers, knowledge transfer professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders perceive the relationship between intellectual property (IP) and open science (OS), and the practical realities of combining them in research practice. The article is now publicly available and is currently undergoing peer review.
Both IP and OS play important roles in the research ecosystem. IP frameworks, such as patents and copyrights, protect creativity and enable research organisations to collaborate with industry, often leading to commercial applications. OS, in contrast, promotes openness, transparency, and FAIR sharing of research outputs, aiming to maximise the benefits of scientific knowledge for society. Although these two approaches may appear to be in tension, policy discussions and individual initiatives increasingly argue they can be complementary when managed effectively.
The study, based on an online survey with 176 respondents from across Europe, found a clear optimism among participants: 82% agreed that IP and OS can work together under the right conditions. However, practical examples of successful synergy remain uncommon. The most significant barriers identified included a lack of clear institutional guidance, limited understanding of open licensing tools, differing objectives between partners in multi-organisation projects, and legal complexities across national frameworks.
Respondents emphasised the importance of early agreement on IP and OS strategies during project planning, as well as targeted training to build confidence in managing open licensing and IP protection. Several promising approaches were noted, such as “patent first, publish later” sequencing, the use of Creative Commons licences, purpose-limited data licences, and institutional policies that explicitly support both openness and protection.
The findings have important policy implications. Suggested measures include recognising OS contributions in career evaluations, providing clear licensing frameworks, discussing possibilities for introducing grace periods for patent filing to allow early publication, and strengthening the role of knowledge transfer offices and OS ambassadors. These steps could help research organisations balance openness with protection more effectively and encourage wider adoption of complementary IP-OS strategies.
Read the full open-access article here: https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.20782.1
Citation:
Sharma G, Fritz C, Baccigotti A, Stoev P, Alavi M, Škorić L, Papadopoulou Skarp F, Priess-Buchheit J, Nilsonne G. Stakeholders’ perceptions of the synergy between intellectual property and open science: A cross-sectional survey [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. Open Research Europe. 2025; 5:229. doi:10.12688/openreseurope.20782.1
