The Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) at the University of Granada participated in the National Open Science Conference (Jornadas Nacionales de Ciencia Abierta), a national meeting focused on promoting Open Science, where it presented its institutional strategy to encourage the adoption of best research practices.
David López García, a Neuroimaging Data Analyst at the María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence, delivered the presentation. He outlined a comprehensive framework of coordinated, center-wide actions designed to streamline, standardize and incentivize Open Science practices across the entire research life cycle.
In recent years, Open Science has established itself as a key element for improving transparency, reproducibility and the social impact of science. However, its effective adoption still faces technical and structural barriers within research environments. In this context, the CIMCYC has developed an institutional strategy aimed at reducing these barriers through a combination of resources, incentives and practical tools.
Three Actions to Drive Open Science
The presented strategy is built around three main lines of action. First, the development of a specific Open Science section on the center’s website, which serves as a practical guide for best practices and resources. This guide supports researchers from experimental design to the publication of results, addressing aspects such as study pre-registration, data management following FAIR principles, the use of open standards like BIDS and the selection of repositories and open access publishing options.
Second, the CIMCYC has launched an institutional incentive program that introduces Open Science criteria into the evaluation of scientific production. This program values aspects such as the publication of data and materials in open repositories, study pre-registration and open access to results, integrating these practices as a fundamental part of scientific quality.
Finally, an open institutional repository has been developed on GitHub, which not only centralizes and shares code generated at the center but also promotes the development of in-house tools oriented toward Open Science. These include solutions for converting data from clinical formats like DICOM to open standards such as BIDS, facilitating the organization, reuse and sharing of neuroimaging data. These tools, which are publicly available, help extend the impact of the initiative beyond the center itself and reinforce the role of software as a scientific product within the Open Science ecosystem.
Toward a Structural Adoption of Open Science
The CIMCYC’s participation in this conference highlights the center's commitment to promoting an accessible, sustainable Open Science aligned with international standards. The strategy presented is not a one-off action but rather a line of work integrated into the center’s scientific planning, supported by its recognition as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence. This approach seeks to drive a progressive change in research culture, where Open Science practices become a structural part of the scientific process.