Midlands Innovation Open Research Week
Midlands Innovation, together with partners De Montfort University, Nottingham Trent University and The Open University, is pleased to announce that Open Research Week will return from 15–19 March 2027, featuring an expanded programme, new opportunities for collaboration, and for the first time, Open Research Awards celebrating excellence across the open research community.
Now entering its third year, Open Research Week has become an established part of the UK’s research culture calendar. The 2027 edition will build on the momentum of previous years, offering a week of events designed to support open, transparent and inclusive research practice, with contributions from 11 partner institutions and the wider research community. The programme is open to all, welcoming participation from researchers and staff at partner institutions and from colleagues from across the UK and overseas.
Midlands Innovation Open Research Week 2027
A growing collaboration across 11 partners
Open Research Week is delivered collectively by the eight Midlands Innovation universities, working in partnership with De Montfort University, Nottingham Trent University and The Open University. The event brings together researchers, technicians, professional services staff, students, sector organisations and national stakeholders for a programme focused on strengthening open research culture across the Midlands and beyond.
The 2027 programme will include online and in‑person sessions exploring open access, open data, reproducibility, responsible research assessment, citizen science, open methodologies, research integrity and the role of open research in promoting equity and impact.
Save the Date: 15-19 March 2027
Introducing the Midlands Innovation Open Research Awards
For the first time, Open Research Week will feature Open Research Awards, recognising individuals, teams and initiatives that are advancing open research across partner institutions and the wider sector. Award categories and nomination details will be announced later this autumn.
Call for Contributions
Midlands Innovation is now inviting colleagues to help shape the 2027 programme by proposing a webinar, workshop, panel discussion, case study, demonstration or interactive session, with formats available as 45-minute online or in-person sessions or 5-minute lightning talks.
Whether you are an experienced advocate for open research or exploring it for the first time, contributions are welcome from across the research ecosystem.
How to submit your proposal
Submit your idea by completing the form. For an informal discussion, contact Ellen McGhee. The deadline for proposals is the 13th November 2026.
We welcome proposals on themes including, but not limited to:
- Research data management, sharing and reuse
- Open methodologies, transparency and reproducibility
- Open source software, code sharing and computational research
- Open Research and artificial intelligence
- Co-design, co-production, participatory and community-led research
- Research culture, integrity and responsible research assessment
- Responsible and ethical approaches to openness, including data sovereignty and collective benefit
- Inclusive research, research equity and broadening participation
- Open access and scholarly communication
- Tools, platforms and infrastructure that support Open Research
- Open Research case studies, challenges and lessons learned
- Emerging issues and the future of Open Research