E-QUAL - Advancing Open Science and Open Research Data practices for qualitative research at USI

While Open Science (OS) and Open Research Data (ORD) initiatives have advanced rapidly across disciplines and research methodologies, qualitative research lags in infrastructure, procedural standards, and institutional support for implementing openness in ways that respect its ethical, epistemological, and contextual specificities. The E-QUAL project aims to promote openness in qualitative research, focusing on textual data from qualitative studies and tailoring its output to USI’s academic and institutional context. Over 12 months, we will (1) compare and summarize international guidelines and best practices for OS and ORD in qualitative research, with a specific focus on textual data; (2) map current practices, barriers, and needs among USI researchers who conduct qualitative studies through a mixed-methods design combining an online survey and in-depth interviews; and (3) co-develop a practical guidance document to promote responsible OS and ORD practices in qualitative research, tailored to USI’s academic and institutional context. This output will help qualitative researchers based at USI and beyond align with OS and ORD principles while meeting the highest research ethical standards. The project will not only strengthen USI’s institutional capacity for OS and ORD in qualitative research but also contribute to the international debate on qualitative data openness by delivering a practical, evidence-based tool that can be adapted and used across other (inter)national research institutions.