Call for Host Institution Applications
After three years in Germany and one in Austria, the German speaking world’s Open Science Festival is looking for its 2026 and 2027 hosts!
Like its Dutch role model, the festival is not a classic conference - in addition to the usual lectures and poster presentations, it thrives on creative formats, inspiring exchange rounds with experts at eye level, practical workshops, inviting sessions for newcomers, and playful approaches... New and unusual ideas are welcome.
The Open Science Festival is all about the diversity of open science, how it is practised, and what value it brings to researchers, universities, and society. Scientists, lecturers, research support staff and decision-makers come together here. It connects those who are already committed to Open Science with those who are looking for an introduction to the topic.
Institutions wishing to host the Open Science Festival in 2026 or 2027 can now apply. Non-university research institutions should aim to cooperate with a college/university.
How do application and selection work?
Please send your application in German or English to osfestival2025.ub@univie.ac.at. The application deadline is Monday, 21 July 2025, at 11:59 pm.
The application should include the following points:
- Brief description of the organising research institution(s) and its Open Science activities and ambitions
- Concept for addressing researchers at all career levels, including but not limited to students and early-career scientists
- Considerations for addressing different disciplines, such as life sciences, natural and technical sciences, humanities, and social sciences
- Possible venue
- Personnel resources
- Expertise of the organisation/programme team in the field of open science
- Contact persons
In order to facilitate the organisation for future hosts, we have decided to accept applications for both 2026 and 2027. Please state in your application whether it is for 2026 or 2027 or whether both years would be equally possible. The organisers of the third and fourth festivals will decide on the applications received and inform the applicants of the decision in a timely manner. At the Open Science Festival on 8 and 9 September 2025 in Vienna, the next venues will be announced - ideally by the future organisers.
What spatial resources are recommended?
- Lectures, workshops etc.: a large hall for around 150 people, 4-6 seminar/lecture rooms for smaller sessions
- Marketplace: 1-2 larger rooms for posters, market stalls, project presentations
- Space for catering and communal dining
What support do you get from us?
We are not only passing on our experience in planning the last two festivals, but also the graphics and promotional materials, which have been deliberately designed to be sustainable.
The domain www.opensciencefestival.de (certificate currently pending, current website is https://osfestival2025.univie.ac.at) will also be passed on to the next organisers!
Contact us
If you have any questions regarding the application, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Contact person: Monika Bargmann