Embedding open science practices within evaluation systems can promote research that meets societal needs in developing countries

Researchers’ choices are inevitably affected by assessment systems. This often means pursuing publication in a high-impact journal and topics that appeal to the international scientific community. For researchers from developing countries, this often also means focusing on other countries or choosing one aspect of their own country that has such international appeal. Consequently, researchers’ activities can become dislocated from the needs their societies. Valeria Arza and Emanuel López explain how embedding open science practices in research evaluation systems can help address this problem and ensure research retains local relevance. Collaborative research teams, transparency in peer review, open access, and diverse tools and channels of communication should all inform a new assessment scheme that has collaboration and openness as its backbones.