Data at the heart of the new French Open Science Strategy

Updated at: 06/10/2026

On 16 September 2026, the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space unveiled its new Open Science Strategy, setting the national guidelines for 2026-2033. This roadmap takes over from the two successive national plans for open science between 2018 and 2024, and is thus part of a long-term perspective.

Structured in ambitions, challenges, strategic objectives and action plan, the French ‘Stratégie de science ouverte’ (SSO) devotes an important part to research data. On this aspect, it recalled that ‘data sharing is not yet the norm’ (p. 31) but that it is increasing by about 2% per year, with the latest key figures from the french Open Science Barometer showing that 27% of publications have shared their data.

The citation of scientific sources is also recalled as essential, in a context of development of generative artificial intelligences. GenAI is based on data available online, so "the free dissemination of reliable and validated research results contributes to enriching the quality of information" that it produces (p. 37), and becomes a lever for scientific integrity.

the national infrastructure Recherche Data Gouv, which works to support the sharing and opening of research data, will continue to play a structural role in supporting researchers and providing services.

In its objectives, the SSO mentions the strengthening of open science services and infrastructures, as pillars of scientific sovereignty. Recherche Data Gouv fits naturally into the need to consolidate and structure the openness of research data, in accordance with the FAIR principles (SO.6, p. 64). This involves:

For more information

Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space. French Open Science Strategy. 2026.

See also the release published on the French Ministry’s website