INESC TEC boosts scientific and technological collaboration with open-source software initiative

Accessing the open-source solutions developed by INESC TEC is now easier: the Institute has just launched the OSS (Open-Source Software) initiative – an online platform that centralises access to the open-source software developed by the institution. In line with the evolution of European research and innovation policies, this step aims to help accelerate science-based innovation, increase transparency and foster collaboration.

From energy to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and including robotics, INESC TEC’s OSS platform gathers and provides a wide range of cross-cutting solutions that can be reused in different scientific and technological contexts. The initiative goes beyond simply providing code: it actively encourages the adoption of open-source best practices in terms of documentation, governance, licensing and sustainability, in line with the principles of Open Science.

Through this platform, tools, libraries and solutions are made accessible to the broader community, helping to address global scientific and technological challenges. The OSS initiative reflects INESC TEC’s strategic commitment to open-source solutions as a way of promoting transparency and increasing the impact of research outcomes. In addition, the Institute aims to facilitate research reproducibility, encourage the adoption of new technologies, bridge the gap between fundamental research and downstream innovation, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

“This initiative is part of a broader strategy to position INESC TEC as a relevant, credible and responsible partner within the European research and innovation ecosystem. By investing in a structured way in open-source software, we are not only expanding access to our results, but also adopting and promoting Open Science best practices, which are essential for the quality, reproducibility and impact of research at a European level,” said João Claro, Chairman of the INESC TEC Board of Directors.

In addition to making code available, the initiative promotes best practices associated with open-source software development, particularly in terms of documentation, clear rules of conduct and contribution, and principles of quality and security. This creates the conditions for open, responsible and sustainable collaboration within the scientific community.

The OSS initiative was presented at INESC TEC during an event that brought together the Institute’s community. The event aimed not only to highlight the growing importance of openly sharing the solutions developed at the Institute (particularly in a European context) in a strategic way, while complying with best practices, but also to showcase examples of software already made public, such as solutions developed within the scope of INTERCONNECT, a European project coordinated by INESC TEC and the largest ever led by a Portuguese organisation.