Openness is at the heart of how CERN works — from sharing knowledge to building tools. The Open Source Programme Office (OSPO) helps teams at CERN make their software and hardware openly available and easier to share. It has now published its first report, available at https://repository.cern/records/rc65y-sv737.

The OSPO was established in 2023 to support CERN’s Open Science goals by simplifying and coordinating open source efforts across departments. Since then, it has helped clarify policies, reduced administrative hurdles, and offered practical guidance on licensing, community engagement, and project publication.

A key achievement has been the agreement that software at CERN is open source by default, supported by new internal processes that make sharing projects easier. For example, software can be open-sourced without requiring department-level approval, and signing Contributor License Agreements has become a straightforward procedure.

In 2025, the OSPO plans to publish new open-source catalogues for hardware and software, improving visibility and reuse. It also serves as a contact point for advice and collaboration, both within CERN and with external partners.

Over the past year, the OSPO engaged with organizations such as ZenDis, the United Nations, and Mercedes-Benz, reflecting growing interest in CERN’s expertise on open source. It has also started working with Software Heritage to better map CERN’s contributions to open source and their impact.

While still young, the OSPO is becoming a useful resource for teams at CERN and a reference point for external partners. This first report reflects steady progress and a growing community interest in building and sharing open technology.

To learn more or get in touch, visit https://opensource.cern or contact open.source@cern.ch.