Open data is data that is freely available for anyone to access, use, reuse, and share, with minimal legal or technical restrictions. It is typically published in an open and machine-readable format, enabling the data to be easily processed, analysed, and reused.

Under Section 3(5) of Act No. 106/1999 Coll., on Free Access to Information, open data refers to information published in a way that enables remote access in an open and machine-readable format, without restrictions on its subsequent use, and registered in the National Open Data Catalogue.

• Accessible – available online
• Machine-readable – provided in a format that computers can process
• Reusable – permitted for further use
• Shareable – can be redistributed under clear conditions
• Clearly licensed – conditions for reuse are transparent

• Find datasets — Browse or search for relevant open datasets.
• Check the metadata and licence — Review information about the dataset, its source, quality, and conditions for reuse.
• Access the data — Download the dataset or access it through an API, where available.
• Cite the dataset — Properly acknowledge the dataset and its source in your research or other work.
• Share your results — Where possible, openly share your findings, analyses, and derived outputs.

Before publishing data, it is important to consider personal data protection, intellectual property rights, confidentiality, security, and other legal or ethical restrictions.

Is open data always free?
- Yes, open data is free to access, but reuse conditions depend on the license.
Can personal data be open?
- No. Personal and sensitive data must be protected and are not published openly.
How do I cite open data?
- Each dataset includes a recommended citation format.
What if my data cannot be open?
- We support controlled access and FAIR-but-closed solutions where necessary.

At the University of South Bohemia, the Open Science Policy provides a basis for developing institutional support, services, and practices that promote Open Science across the research lifecycle. It also helps align university activities with national and international Open Science principles and recommendations.

The policy supports researchers in understanding their responsibilities and available support while recognising that openness must be balanced with ethical, legal, confidentiality, intellectual property, and data protection requirements.

At the University of South Bohemia, researchers are encouraged to plan how their data will be collected, stored, documented, and preserved from the beginning of a research project. Where possible and appropriate, research data should be made openly available in accordance with the FAIR principles—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

Open Access is an important part of Open Science that aims to make scholarly research freely available to readers. Choosing an appropriate publishing and Open Access route can increase the visibility, accessibility, and potential reuse of research while helping researchers meet funder, publisher, and institutional requirements.

There are several ways to make research publications openly accessible, including publishing in Open Access journals, depositing publications in repositories, and using other Open Access publishing models. Each route has different conditions related to copyright, licensing, publication fees, embargoes, and permitted versions of the publication.