Overview

The two-day Bennett Oxford Symposium on Open Code in Science will take place at The Examination Schools at the University of Oxford from 8-9 December 2026.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The event

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, with contributions from across the community:

• 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 ¹

Book your place using this Eventbrite link ². Spots are first come, first served, so be sure to register early!

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.

If your circumstances change and you can’t make it, please cancel your registration on Eventbrite ² or let us know by return email, so we can make room for someone else.

What to expect

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!

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the team using the email events.bennett@phc.ox.ac.uk!