Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science

Two days of talks and discussions on why you should be sharing your code, how to share it, and what the community is doing to support it!

We are excited to invite you to the Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science, taking place from 8-9 December 2026 at The Examination Schools at the University of Oxford. We hope you can join us!

Full details of the event: event webpage.

Here at the Bennett Institute, we have long shared all the code behind both our research projects and our tools and platforms – and we encourage and teach others to do the same!

We think open code makes science better: and we know many agree. It makes research easier to deliver, check, reproduce, and build on. But it’s still far from standard practice.

The 2026 Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science will explore:

• what academia can learn from the open-source software movement
• why people do – and do not – share their code
• the impact of open source code and software in science and beyond, and
• how AI is changing the open-source landscape.

When: 8-9 December 2026

Where: Examination Schools, University of Oxford, 75-81 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG

Whether you work in research, policy, software development, or elsewhere, the 2026 Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science is a chance to connect and learn from those who are both passionate and knowledgeable about open and transparent code and software.

With a full day of talks and panels on Day 1 and opportunities for more open and collaborative sessions on Day 2, this year’s symposium will allow attendees to share ideas, skills, tools, and research that emphasise the (many!) benefits of sharing code.

Day 1: keynote lectures, talks, and panel discussions

Sessions will explore topics including:

• The impact of open source code and software in science and beyond
• Understanding why people don’t share their code and how this can be addressed
• Presentations from developers of open source software projects in science, government, and civil society
• How AI will impact the future of open source and transparent code and software

Day 2: informal meetings, group sessions and community building

Day 2 will feature opportunities for group discussions and dedicated time to meet and talk with your fellow attendees as well as Bennett Institute colleagues.
This is the place to come if you would like to learn more about our work, find like-minded colleagues and potential collaborators, share skills and experiences, and think about ways to affect code sharing practice!