RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH

Open Science

We support the Open Science movement’s goal to share research. Sharing is an extension of the collaborative and collective nature of the scientific process – and an understanding that every academic is building on previous research to produce new knowledge. Openness is always an essential part of research. Open science also implies that research data and results must be available to stakeholders beyond the academic community. Our approach – which aligns with the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity – is to be, “As open as possible, as closed as necessary”.

We do not yet have a general Open Access (OA) policy. However, over the past three years, 60% of our most sought-after and impactful journal articles have been published in OA.

What are Open Access (OA) publications?

These are openly available documents that can be accessed with minimal technical or legal restrictions. They’re effective for disseminating research results – which means they can create greater impact in business and society. This is because OA publications allow people who don’t have access to scientific libraries to stay up-to-date with the latest business thinking and approaches. They also reduce inequality by opening research up to wider audiences.

We also make research reports and white papers available via Vlerick’s website and publication repository. And we share our research in videos, blogs and executive summaries.

Responsible Research in Business and Management network

In 2019, we became an institutional partner of the Responsible Research in Business and Management (RRBM) network. The network’s vision paper states that academic research should develop knowledge that benefits business and society to create a better world. We are signatories to this paper and fully support its aims.

We are one of the few business schools in the world to be recognised as an RRBM Pioneering Institution. As well as acknowledging our commitment to the principles and vision of RRBM, it recognises Vlerick as a source of best practice, highlighting that we strive to create societal impact in our research and teaching.