Libertad Educativa y Ciencia Abierta is a legislative advocacy initiative aimed at promoting open access to scientific research funded with public resources in Costa Rica. The project seeks to introduce a legal framework that ensures publicly funded research outputs, including publications and data, are accessible to students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and the broader public.

The initiative responds to a structural contradiction in Costa Rica’s scientific ecosystem. Although a significant portion of research conducted in public universities is financed through taxpayer funds, the results often remain restricted behind institutional barriers, closed licenses, or limited-access repositories. This limits the ability of students, independent researchers, small businesses, and innovators to build upon existing knowledge, slowing the country’s potential for scientific development, innovation, and economic growth.

The project proposes the introduction of a law that guarantees open access to research financed wholly or partially with public funds while respecting intellectual property, academic authorship, and scientific freedom. By aligning Costa Rica with international open science standards adopted in regions such as the European Union, the initiative aims to strengthen knowledge circulation, reduce duplication of research, and enable collaboration between universities, entrepreneurs, and private sector innovators.

The primary target audience includes university students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers in Costa Rica. By advocating for open access policies and engaging scientific and academic communities, the project seeks to create a more transparent and collaborative research ecosystem where publicly funded knowledge becomes a foundation for innovation, education, and economic opportunity.

Initial Objectives:

• Introduce a legislative proposal in the Costa Rican Congress establishing open access requirements for publicly funded scientific research.
• Expand access to scientific knowledge for students, researchers, and entrepreneurs by promoting open research repositories.
• Encourage innovation and scientific entrepreneurship by enabling broader reuse of publicly funded research outputs.
• Improve the social return of public investment in research by ensuring knowledge generated with public funds is accessible to society.
• Promote collaboration between universities, research institutions, and the private sector through open science principles.