In today’s data-driven and collaborative research environment, the ability to transform knowledge into societal and economic value — known as knowledge valorization — is essential. Yet, researchers and institutions often face a complex challenge: how to balance openness and protection while following the “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” principle, distinguishing between fitting (such as open-source licensing) and non-fitting Intellectual Property (IP) tools (trade secrets) and enabling adequate IP management to support researchers’ intellectual property assets if necessary.

The Horizon Europe project IP4OS (Intellectual Property for Open Science) addresses this challenge head-on by developing innovative strategies and training programs that follow a concerted IP-OS approach, a supportive link between agile and fitting IP tools and the sharing of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable (FAIR; FAIR-R or even FAIR-RR) research outputs (data, results, codes, etc.).

The OS-IP Landscape

Since the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science (OS), openness has become a policy imperative, yet IP remains a key enabler for transforming research results into innovation. While IP rights define the terms of reuse to enable innovation, OS promotes the widest possible sharing of results. The perceived tension between them often stems from misconceptions rather than real incompatibility.

In reality, IP and OS can complement and reinforce each other. For example, patents rely on transparency, as each application must publicly disclose the underlying technical knowledge, while open licensing ensures proper attribution to the creator or rights holder and enables access and reuse. Together, these mechanisms enable the “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” approach promoted by the European Commission.

IP4OS: A Synergetic Approach

IP4OS aims to empower research-performing organizations (RPOs) to combine IP management and OS practices in ways that strengthen their research impact, innovation potential and create powerful valorization strategies for economic, societal or environmental benefits. The project promotes an integrated model of knowledge valorization that is strategic, sustainable, and an innovative and highly effective approach to create value out of research knowledge.

At its core lies a capacity-building program designed to establish multi-professional teams within RPOs across Europe. These teams bring together experts from diverse backgrounds — ranging from OS, (knowledge) technology transfer to data stewardship, librarianship, legal affairs, and research — to support researchers throughout the research lifecycle. Their mission: to help researchers identify, adequately protect or define the usage, and share their outputs effectively, ensuring that relevant research artifacts find their optimal path toward societal, environmental, and economic benefit.

How It Works

Each participating institution will create a consulting team supported by IP4OS through training, mentoring, and access to innovative open educational resources such as the “Synergy Framework” comprising today’s IP-OS practices and recommendations, and modules deepening the knowledge on topics such as copyright, rights retention, open licenses, repository licensing, etc.

The IP4OS Training Centre and Synergy Core Curriculum will provide hands-on learning opportunities, ensuring that teams gain the expertise needed to manage IP-OS interplay confidently and establish a new culture of knowledge valorization within their institutions. The teams can then guide researchers in assessing which artifacts can or should be protected, shared, or jointly developed with partners. Through informed decision-making, institutions can maximize openness without compromising innovation.

Establish multi-professional teams

Empower multi-professional teams across Europe with knowledge, skills, and advocacy to enhance the valorization of scientific knowledge within the European Research Area by promoting agile IP management and Open Science practices.

Impact and Collaboration

By 2026, IP4OS will have established a European network of 27 RPOs equipped to drive new standards for responsible and effective knowledge valorization. Participants will gain visibility as pioneers of integrated IP-OS practices and contribute anonymized case studies to an EU-wide Valorization Platform, strengthening Europe’s shared knowledge base.

Ultimately, IP4OS demonstrates that OS and IP are not opposites but partners in a modern, inclusive research ecosystem. By fostering collaboration, transparency, and strategic protection, the project equips Europe’s research institutions to transform knowledge into lasting value — social, environmental, and economic alike.

Visit the IP4OS website