Open Science in Germany

In 2003, the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities was signed by the main German research associations as well as the German Research Foundation and several international institutions. Until now, more than 500 research organisations from around the world have signed the declaration. Already in 2001, the Budapest Open Acces Initiative has laid the foundation for the Berlin Declaration. It is based on the integrity and transparency of research; the aim is to use the internet for developing an open knowlegde base for society.

2009 Allianz der deutschen Wissenschaftsorganisationen eine Gemeinsame Erklärung der Wissenschaftsorganisationen zu Open Access und Urheberrecht.

Currently, programs of the European Commission like the  Horizon 2020 research data pilot shape the Open Science development in Germany.

A very new approach to Open Access publications is Fecher's open dissertation (offene Doktorarbeit), which has been open and online from the beginning of writing. Legal restrictions had to be overcome before Fecher was able to start his project.