GW4 Open Research Prize 2026

What is Open Research?

Open research is a broad range of practices which make research more accessible, transparent, reproducible, and visible.

The Open Research Prize, first introduced by the University of Bristol in 2021, is designed to celebrate and recognise the excellent work of researchers in making their research more accessible to all, thereby increasing its potential impact.

The GW4 Open Research Prize is led, for this year, by Cardiff University in collaboration with the other GW4 Alliance institutions – Bath, Bristol and Exeter.

GW4 Open Research Prize 2026 – Now Open!

The 2026 GW4 Open Research Prizes recognise and reward researchers who have used open practices throughout the research process to make research more accessible, transparent and reproducible.

A prize of £250 per category will be awarded.

To recognise the importance of open research practices in every stage of research career, separate prizes for Early Career Researchers and Research Enablers are being offered this year. Each prize will be judged based on the same criteria, with certain categories being weighted more or less depending on the prize category.

A shortlist for the GW4 Open Research Prizes will be identified by the end of March 2026 and all shortlisted applicants will be asked to share a short summary of their application either via a pre-recorded video or live presentation at the virtual awards event during GW4 Open Research Week 2026 (20-24 April 2026)

Applications close 5pm on 20 February 2026. 

Prize categories and eligibility:

The primary contact for any application must confirm that they have a contract with one of the four GW4 Alliance Universities until end of April 2026.

• GW4 Open Research Prize: Open to all individuals and teams who have utilised Open Research practices and principles within a research project or initiative.
• GW4 Open Research Prize for Early Career Researchers: Open to individuals who consider themselves “Early Career Researchers” (ECRs) and have demonstrated individual contributions to open research practices and principles within the research process. An ECR may hold a post-graduate or post-doctoral position, early career fellowship, lectureships/assistant professorship, or equivalent. Applications from individuals who hold a permanent academic position (e.g., a tenured position) will not be considered in this category.
• GW4 Open Research Prize for Research Enablers: Open to individuals or teams who support open research in any stage of the research process. Research Enablers (REs) will generally be professional research support staff who do not hold a post-doctoral position, early career fellowship, lectureships/assistant professorship, tenured position or equivalent.

Applicants are welcome to enter more than one category provided each application is distinct – for example, a post-doctoral researcher may be a member of a larger team submitting to the GW4 Open Research Prize but may also choose to submit to the GW4 Open Research Prize for Early Career Researchers, highlighting their actions using open practices in the research process.

Research projects that produce traditional publications and diverse output types (e.g. software, exhibitions) are welcomed to be submitted for consideration.

How to enter:

Submissions should be made via Microsoft Forms.

The deadline for submissions is Friday 20 February 2026 at 5pm. Full application instructions, including the judging criteria can be found in our applicant guidance document.

If you have any questions about the prize, please email talentandskills@gw4.ac.uk.

You can also take a look at some of last year’s entries on GW4’s YouTube for further ideas and inspiration.

GW4 Open Research Week 2026

The third annual GW4 Open Research Week returns from 20–24 April 2026, with Cardiff University taking the lead this year. The week-long celebration will showcase the many ways open research practices make scholarship more accessible, transparent, reproducible and visible.

A packed programme of online events will welcome GW4 academics, external speakers, staff and researchers, offering practical insights and real-world examples of how to embed open practices across the community.

Full details will be announced the end of January, so keep an eye on the GW4 Open Research Week webpages. In the meantime, you can catch up on highlights from last year’s sessions via GW4’s YouTube channel.