Metascience conference 2025

University College London (UCL), The Centre for Open Science, and the Research on Research Institute have partnered to host the Metascience 2025 Conference, which brings together a broad consortium of science and research institutions to share ideas, evidence, and foster a culture of continuous experimentation and improvement. Since launching in 2019, the biennial Metascience conferences have become the most influential meeting point for researchers, funders, policymakers and innovators committed to studying and improving the science system itself.

Metascience 2025 will occur in London’s Knowledge Quarter, with a unique and rich mix of research, scientific, and cultural partners, facilities, and opportunities centered on a half-mile stretch of London’s Euston Road. The Research on Research Institute (RoRI), based at University College London (UCL), will be the lead local coordinating body for a collaborative effort by a consortium of London-based scientific and research institutions.

The conference will run for three days, featuring keynotes, talks, panels, and posters. Catering will be provided each day. Virtual pre-conference symposia, open to everyone, will take place online in the lead up to the conference from 16 to 27 June 2025.

Conference format

This conference will consist of the following formats:

• Panels
  • The purpose of panel sessions is to foster debate and conversation among attendees. Panel sessions should not be dominated by long talks and lengthy slide presentations. They will involve 4-5 brief contributions (with or without slides) exploring different aspects of a given theme. Some panel sessions will be curated by the Program Committee, but this is an opportunity for proposers to curate a session on a topic or theme of interest.
• Pre-conference virtual symposia
  • This will consist of  60-90 minute virtual events on any topic related to metascience, to take place online in the two weeks (Monday 16th June – Friday 27th June 2025) leading up to the Metascience 2025 in-person meeting. A similar round of virtual symposia took place prior to Metascience 2023 and can be seen here. Virtual symposia may include, for example: a sequence of presentations; a moderated panel discussion; or a facilitated community discussion. All pre-conference virtual symposia will be free to attend through the Metascience website.
• Talks and Posters
  • Talks will be 10-15 minute presentations on any topic related to metascience, or new and emerging research findings. Posters will be displayed at the conference for a substantial portion of the meeting, with dedicated times during coffee and lunch breaks for participants to engage with poster authors and content.

Online participation

The Pre-Conference Virtual Symposia will take place in the two weeks leading up to the conference (Monday 16th June – Friday 27th June 2025). Contributors must ensure that they have a strong enough connection to present online. If this is not the case, it is possible for contributors to send a recording to their convenors; this can also be done as “in case” the internet connection has problems on the day, or any other tech issues they may be having from home. The conference admins on [email protected] can also help organise a transfer. More detailed information on online access will be added to the Metascience website in due course.

The face-to-face conference on June 30 – July 2, 2025, will take place at University College London and will not have online participation.

Photo by David Xeli on Unsplash