Scope of application
These principles are recommended for use when developing software and software components for the University of Helsinki.
The principles set out here do not apply to research conducted at the University. The principles of open science concerning research are available on the University website.
Openness as the default approach
As a rule, the source code for software and software components produced at the University of Helsinki, as well as other material related to their use, are open. The University defines open source as outlined by the Open Source Initiative.
Exceptions to openness are permitted on reasonable grounds.
Aiming for quality and sense of community
The software produced is reliable and easy to use. Software and software components are designed to be easily maintained and reused and are compatible with other systems.
Investing in the clarity and documentation of software during the development stage makes the software easier to maintain and reuse throughout its life cycle.
Problems solved by software development are rarely limited to the operating environment of the University of Helsinki, making cooperation with other organisations desirable. Software is developed for our own use, but also for free global use.
Use is not restricted unnecessarily
The use of software and related material is not unnecessarily restricted, and the terms of use are clearly stated.
The University primarily recommends an MIT licence for source code, unless there are valid reasons to choose another option.
For other material, such as documentation and images, an up-to-date version of the CC BY licence, part of the Creative Commons suite of licences, is recommended.
Guidelines for application