In September 2026, the National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NSL, CAS) and the Public Library of Science (PLOS) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding on jointly advancing the Open for Science 10 (OS10) Program. Building on their respective strengths in open science infrastructure, open science publishing policies and practices, data resources, and services, the two parties will work together to promote the open sharing and innovative use of scientific knowledge and data, contributing to a more open, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable global open science ecosystem.
Under the MOU, the two parties will explore cooperation in areas including the sharing of scientific research and open science resources, the development of the OS10 platform’s technical architecture, and open science capacity-building. PLOS may also participate in relevant OS10 working groups and contribute to resource coordination, technical standards, and service design. The two parties will strengthen open science capacity-building in China and other regions participating in OS10 through training, workshops, community engagement, and international exchange. In addition, they will explore opportunities to connect OS10 with the outcomes of PLOS Redefining Publishing initiative and further expand their cooperation on open science policy and practice.
The program, entitled “Towards Open Science Infrastructure Sharing Network: Knowledge and Data Sharing Platform from China—Open for Science 10” (OS10), was initiated under the leadership of Professor Wei Yang, a Chinese scientist and Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It was officially endorsed by UNESCO in February 2025. The Program aims to develop open science infrastructure in accordance with the guiding framework of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science and the strategic plan of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, also known as the “Science Decade”. The National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zhejiang University serve as the Program’s liaison and supporting institutions, while the CAST-UN Consultative Committee on Open Science and Global Partnership (CCOS) serves as its lead organization.
The OS10 program has delivered three key milestones: the launch of the Open4Science platform (open4science.cn), providing access to over 100 million open science and technology resources and reaching users in 105 countries; the development of the International Specification for Open Knowledge and Data Sharing and Application, advancing international collaboration and the sharing of open science infrastructures; and the release of the Open Science Readiness Index (OSRI) report and monitoring platform, mapping open science development and trends across all 193 UN Member States.
PLOS is a non-profit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice. PLOS believes in a better future where science is open to all, for all. Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse and build upon scientific knowledge.
The research outputs PLOS publishes promote multi-disciplinary discussions on complex problems and enable all stakeholders to learn from, reuse, and build upon scientific knowledge. PLOS reimagines models and mechanisms for sharing to meet open science principles and uses its journals to test and refine innovations at all stages of the research lifecycle.
