We are thrilled to invite you to a symposium on how to improve research quality and impact. Accommodation (for up to 60 participants), breakfast, lunch, and the bus transport from Zagreb to the conference venue are free of charge. 

For whom?

Researchers, publishers, funders, research infrastructures… anyone who influences and is influenced by research. We particularly welcome ECRs. On the second day we will have an afternoon session on specific challenges and opportunities to improve research quality in Croatia, thus, for this 2h session we specifically invite Croatian stakeholders.

When?

18th and 19th of Sept 2025 (with a tour of the Park on the 20th)

Where?

The visitor centre Sošice (Nature Park Zumberak, Croatia). We can offer 12*2 dormitory beds, and around 25 beds in small apartments. More on the venue HOME PAGE - Posjetiteljski centar Sošice 

 

Why?

To improve research impact and quality, but also inclusivity, the whole system where research is embedded must undergo important changes. This requires the commitment of all the stakeholders. It also requires identifying issues, suggesting actions, and evaluating the effectiveness of proposed actions – which is done using meta-research approach. During the symposium, we plan to cover a broad set of topics related to research improvement and include perspectives from a diverse set of stakeholders.

 

Register

Please register by sending an email to Danijela.Zanko@irb.hr. Please indicate your role (e.g., researcher, funder, etc), the dates you plan to participate, and whether you are ok with being in a dormitory-style accommodation. We note that we can offer free accommodation to the first 50 or so participants, on a first-come, first first-served basis. 

 

Submit a poster

We welcome poster presentations that fit the symposium topic. Please submit a short abstract by email to aculina@irb.hr. The submission deadline is 17^th of July. 

 

Event Schedule

• Note - schedule with Abstracts and bios can be accessed here

18th of September

• 09:00 - Leaving Zagreb, transport will be organised
• 10:00–10:30 - Registration, coffee & snacks
• 10:30–11:15 - Plenary
  • Dr. Tracey L. Weissgerber: TREASURE: Rewarding graduate students for implementing reproducible, reusable and open research practices
• 11:15–12:15 - Short talks - Evidence synthesis & research waste
  • Prof. Livia Puljak: Systematic reviews: causing but also preventing research waste
  • Dr. Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar: Leveraging community-driven meta-research for reliable meta-analyses
  • Danijela Žanko: Use of open data sets in evidence synthesis
• 12:15–13:30 - Lunch break
• 13:30–14:30 - Short talks - Publishing research & research waste
  • Dr. Jadranka Stojanovski: Quality, Integrity and Equity in Diamond Open Access Publishing
  • Iva Grabarić Andonovski: DEI and sustainability in research publishing
  • Prof. Ksenija Baždarić: Attitudes towards preprinting in Croatian authors
• 14:30–15:15 - Short talks - Peer review & research assessment
  • Luka Ursić: Image manipulation in research: how well does the human eye detect duplications?
  • Dr. Jadranka Stojanovski: Reforming research assessment - CoARA
  • Serge P.J.M. Horbach (online): Reforms in editorial peer review
• 15:15–15:30 - Coffee break
• 15:30–16:30 - Talk & Discussion
  • Dr. Antica Čulina: A framework to improve research quality across disciplines
• 16:30–17:00 - Poster session (with drinks)
• 17:00–19:00 - Guided walk of the area

19th of September

• 09:30–10:00 - Registration, coffee & snacks
• 10:00–10:45 - Plenary
  • Prof. Goran Delač: Integrating AI into the Scientific Method: Opportunities and Challenges
• 10:45–11:45 - Short talks - Education & Open Science
  • Prof. Ivana Bosnic: Open data analysis as a form of student education for wider societal benefits
  • Prof. Ljerka Ostojić: Open Science in Higher Education: Why Starting Early is Key
  • Matt Grainger: Open Science for Early-career Ecologists – The Living Norway PhD course
• 11:45–13:00 - Lunch break
• 13:00–13:45 - Short talks - Other
  • Dr. Ivan Fliš, topic: Philosopher's perspective on research waste
  • Dr. Ivica Vilibić: Two tales on gaining 'benefits' through 'publish or perish'
• 13:45–14:45 - Workshops (parallel)
  • Reproducible Manuscripts with Quarto - Shreya Dimri
  • Automated assessment of transparency of scientific literature - Marija Purgar
• 14:45–15:00 - Coffee break
• 15:00–16:00 - Round table: Improving research quality & impact in Croatia
  • Dario Lečić (HRZZ)
  • Ljerka Ostojić (Uni Rijeka)
  • Livia Puljak (Croatian Catholic University)
  • Iva Grabarić Andonovski (PBF)
  • Luka Ursić (University of Split)
  • Prof. Goran Delač (FER)

20th of September

Guided tour of the Nature Park