On 18 December 2024, the “Copyright in the Perspective of Open Science and Enhancement of Cultural Heritage” conference took place at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) in Rome. Organised by KR21’s Italian coordinator, Deborah De Angelis, with support from KR21, the event united experts and policymakers to explore the connection between Open Science and cultural heritage. Hosted in CNR’s Marconi Hall, the conference marked a significant milestone, supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, the Rome Bar Association, ALAI Italia, the Italian Library Association (AIB), the National Association of Italian Archivists (ANAI), and the Legal Observatory on Digital Innovation (OGID) of the Sapienza University of Rome.
The event underscored the transformative potential of Open Science policies in reshaping research and improving access to cultural heritage. With patronage from the Rome Bar Association and recognition for professional training, the gathering attracted a diverse audience, highlighting the wide-reaching relevance of these discussions.
The slides of the presentations are accessible on the Institute of Legal Informatics and Judicial Systems (IGSG).
Opening Remarks
The conference commenced with an address by Salvatore Capasso, Director of the Department of Human and Social Sciences, Cultural Heritage (DSU) at CNR. He affirmed the pivotal role of Open Science in advancing research and emphasised the need for accessible data to facilitate scientific sharing and dissemination. Emma Lazzeri, from CNR’s Digital Agenda and Processes Office, outlined the organisation’s Open Science strategy, detailing specific actions undertaken to implement these policies.
Session 1: Policies, Standards, and Practices for Open Research
Moderated by Sebastiano Faro, Director of the IGSG, the first session delved into policies, standards, and practices that enable more open scientific research.
Valentina Moscon, from the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Munich, offered an insightful overview of Secondary Publishing Rights (SPR) in Europe, noting increasing political support for their recognition, particularly for the 2025–2029. Faro highlighted the outcomes of the Right2Pub project, funded by KR21, which advocates for legislative reform to enhance authors’ SPR and Rights Retention. A key result is the publication of the “Book Manifesto on Rights Retention and SPR in Science” by CNR Edizioni as an Open Access resource.
Iolanda Pensa, from the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland and Wikimedia Italy, underscored adherence to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles for sharing research data. She also introduced guidelines developed under the Open Science for Arts, Design and Music (OS-ADM) project, aimed at helping researchers in these fields navigate third-party rights on protected content.
Session 2: Sustainability of Open Access Publishing
The second session, moderated by Ginevra Peruginelli of IGSG, addressed sustainable models for Open Access in academic publishing.
Andrea Capaccioni from the University of Perugia discussed economic frameworks for sustainable Open Access, citing Brazil’s SciELO project as an example where government funding supports Open Science directly, reducing dependence on library budgets. Tommaso Agnoloni of IGSG presented the DIAMAS project, which focuses on institutional publishers and Diamond Open Access. He outlined its aim to ensure sustainability and uphold quality standards within diverse publishing ecosystems.
Fulvio Guatelli from Florence University Press explored the role of university presses in fostering Open Access, advocating for shared infrastructure to reduce costs and enable independence while promoting collaboration.
Session 3: Cultural Heritage and Open Science
The third session, chaired by Deborah De Angelis, explored the interplay between Open Science and cultural heritage.
Emanuel Demetrescu, from the Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences (ISPC) at CNR, delved into the role and functions of the ISPC, highlighting the close synergy between Open Data, Open Science and Cultural Heritage Science and the need to find the balance between the different interests involved in this field. G In particular, he discussed the legitimacy of efforts to require payments for commercial use of public domain materials. Giulia Dore from the University of Trento examined Italian regulatory barriers to the open sharing of cultural heritage, particularly challenges arising from the transposition of Article 14 of the CDSM Directive. Marta Arosio of Wikimedia Italy highlighted the “Empowering Italian GLAMs” project, which is extending Open Culture initiatives to museums, libraries, archives, and galleries through systematic data management.
A Collective Initiative for Free Knowledge
The conference concluded with the announcement of the Collective Initiative for Open Science, Open Culture, and Open Education, spearheaded by KR21, IGSG, and Creative Commons Italy. Deborah De Angelis revealed that the President of CoPER (Council of Presidents of Research Institutions) had pledged support for the initiative, reflecting growing institutional backing. She urged participants to rally further endorsements in the coming months to maximise the initiative’s impact when presented to policymakers.
In her closing remarks, De Angelis emphasised collaboration as the cornerstone for addressing Open Science challenges. By fostering dialogue and advancing policy reform, Italy can cement its position as a leader in knowledge sharing and cultural accessibility.
Looking Ahead
The conference illuminated Open Science’s transformative possibilities for research and cultural heritage. By addressing regulatory, economic, and institutional barriers, Italy is setting the stage for a more inclusive and sustainable future. With robust support from researchers, institutions, and policymakers, the groundwork is laid for significant advancements in the years to come.
