Open Innovation in Science (OIS) is a collaboration model developed at Aarhus University that integrates openness throughout the research process – from project design and co-creation to the dissemination of results and data. OIS enables pre-competitive, patent-free collaborations between academia and industry, allowing partners to jointly address complex societal challenges while accelerating discoveries and bridging knowledge gaps. By sharing knowledge openly, the model strengthens the foundation for downstream innovation and commercialization.
The OIS Center is a well-established collaboration hub with a strong track record of large research platforms and partnerships involving leading universities, industry partners, and international foundations. The center operates under a certified quality management system and holds ISO certification, ensuring professional governance, transparent processes, and reliable collaboration frameworks for partners and funders.
OIS fills a unique role in the ecosystem of research collaborations needed to address pressing societal challenges. By bringing together academia, industry, and other stakeholders in open, pre-competitive programmes, the model helps translate excellent science into solutions with real-world impact. Because different challenges require different approaches, the OIS framework is designed to be adaptable, allowing platforms and programmes to evolve in response to specific scientific, societal, and industrial needs.
The OIS framework offers several ways for funders and partners to engage with this model.Contributions can support specific research calls within existing collaboration platforms, extending their scope and impact. At the same time, the OIS Center regularly engages in dialogue with external stakeholders – including foundations, public funders, and industry – to explore new collaboration opportunities. Many initiatives begin with an idea or societal challenge raised by external partners and are then developed jointly using the OIS model and its established collaboration framework.
Once a collaboration is defined, the OIS Center provides the structure, governance, and network needed to launch and manage open research programmes that bring together leading academic and industry partners.
OIS fills a unique role in the ecosystem of research collaborations needed to address pressing societal challenges. By bringing together academia, industry, and other stakeholders in open, pre-competitive programmes, the model helps translate excellent science into solutions with real-world impact.
