Digital Science, Figshare and Springer Nature publish the new results in The State of Open Data 2025: A Decade of Progress and Challenges

London | New York | Berlin, Monday 26 January 2026

The 10th anniversary edition of the State of Open Data report (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28406992), published by Digital Science, Figshare and Springer Nature, shows that open data has become strongly embedded into research practice with FAIR* awareness now widely recognised, AI is reshaping research workflows, and support for openness remains high.

The report, now in its 10th year, is the longest running study into open research behaviour and attitudes. Combining survey data from more than 4,700 responses across 151 countries with global expert perspectives from researchers, librarians and policy leaders, it provides an unprecedented insight into the challenges and opportunities around open research, helping to outline progress and priorities for the next decade.

Key findings include:

* Open research practices are widely supported: 88.1% endorse open access; 80.9% back open data; 75.7% favour open peer review. Researchers value openness and now need practical workflows to make it sustainable.

* Progress has been made despite persistent barriers: Awareness of FAIR has nearly doubled from 2018, with familiarity with FAIR principles nearly tripling from 15.2% in 2018 to 40.6%. However, recognition for data sharing remains insufficient, 69.2% of researchers report they receive too little credit for sharing data. Rewarding data sharing in research assessment is key to sustaining progress.

* Regional and disciplinary variation for national mandates remains: Support for national mandates still varies widely and disciplinary disparities persist, showing that early consensus is adjusting as real-world experience builds. Australia (63.2% support for mandates in 2016 dropped to 27.4% in 2025) and Brazil (64.7% in 2016 and 39% in 2025) saw the steepest year-on-year decline, while India (59.8% in 2016 and 54.7% in 2025) remained stable. This points to the importance of pairing policy with the day-to-day support and infrastructure that make sharing practical and reusable.

* Use of AI to support practice is increasing: Active use of AI for data processing rose from 22.1% in 2024 to 31.9% in 2025 and metadata creation jumped from 16.1% to 25.1%. AI and interoperability will be pivotal in making openness seamless, automated, and trusted, while ethics, research security and clear standards will shape future frameworks.

Mark Hahnel, VP of Open Research at Digital Science and Founder of Figshare, reflects on the decade of change:

"Ten years of data show that open research is no longer an aspiration-it's embedded practice. But progress doesn't stop here. Researchers need systems that reward openness and workflows that make sharing effortless. Reforming research assessment and aligning incentives will be key to sustaining progress."

Graham Smith, Director Research Data Innovation at Springer Nature, adds:

"Collaborations like this enable us to put researchers at the centre of what we do. Their insights are essential to ensuring that open science policies, infrastructures and tools are relevant, practical and effective in reducing researcher burden and improving data quality. Beyond this, we recognise that openness delivers the greatest value when combined with quality and clear evidence of benefits. That is why Springer Nature continues to with partners and initiatives across the industry â€“ including the State of Open Data Report (https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/campaigns/state-of-open-data), PathOS (https://pathos-project.eu/pathos-os-resources-hub) and Make Data Count (https://makedatacount.org), among others â€“ to help shape standards, develop practical solutions and drive measurable impact for the research community."

Download the full report via this https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28406992 and discover more findings from the report: https://stateofopendata.com

Join the conversation at #StateOfOpenData and register for our webinar on 11 February 2026 here: https://info.figshare.com/webinar/the-state-of-open-data-2025-a-decade-of-progress-and-challenges

* FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable)

##ENDS##

About Springer Nature

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit https://about.springernature.com and https://twitter.com/SpringerNature.

About Digital Science

Digital Science is an AI-focused technology company providing innovative solutions to complex challenges faced by researchers, universities, funders, industry and publishers. We work in partnership to advance global research for the benefit of society. Through our brands â€“ Altmetric, Dimensions, Figshare, IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, metaphacts, Overleaf, ReadCube, Symplectic, and Writefull we believe when we solve problems together, we drive progress for all. Visit https://www.digital-science.com and follow Digital Science on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/digital-science.com

X: https://x.com/digitalsci

or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/digital-science

Media contacts:

Springer Nature

Felicitas Kalb-Behrendt

External Communications, Senior Communications Manager

Felicitas.kalb-behrendt@springernature.com

Digital Science

David Ellis

Press, PR & Social Manager

d.ellis@digital-science.com

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