OpenCode.HR promotes open science and open education, strengthens inter-institutional cooperation, improves efficiency, and contributes to strengthening digital sovereignty
The joint open-source software sharing platform for the academic and research community of the Republic of Croatia, OpenCode.HR, has been officially launched.
The OpenCode.HR open-source platform provides users from the academic and research community with a secure collaborative environment for developing, using, and sharing open-source software solutions and projects. At the same time, OpenCode.HR promotes transparency and openness and facilitates knowledge sharing, as open-source software can be shared, jointly developed, and adapted to various user needs regardless of the original author.
The OpenCode.HR platform was initiated by the University Computing Centre (SRCE), University of Zagreb, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb, and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, and implemented on SRCE’s infrastructure.
It is intended for students working on project, seminar, and final theses; researchers developing scientific software; teachers who wish to share materials, code, and examples and conduct exercises; project teams collaborating on joint work; as well as anyone publishing open-source tools. Access is provided via an electronic identity from the AAI@EduHr system or another verified authentication method.
“Through the joint development of the platform, we have established high-quality foundations for the long-term sustainability, standardization, and sharing of open-source software at the national level, hosted on SRCE’s reliable and highly available infrastructure. By bringing the community together within this initiative, we further promote open-source principles and encourage open science and open education, thereby strengthening digital sovereignty, improving efficiency, and fostering inter-institutional cooperation,” emphasized Ivan Marić, Director of SRCE.
Users of the OpenCode.HR platform may include individuals with a valid identity in the AAI@EduHr system, members of institutions participating in the OpenCode.HR project, as well as individuals granted access by administrators at their home institutions.
“Open science represents the foundation of the modern scientific and innovation ecosystem, promoting fairness, sustainability, and democratic values. It does not only imply open access to research results, but also a broader set of values including openness, accessibility, interoperability, and verifiability of research work. These pillars enable higher research quality, faster knowledge transfer, and stronger trust between the scientific community and society as a whole. The launch of the new platform further strengthens cooperation among the OpenCode.HR initiators as well as the wider academic and business communities. The platform creates a space for data exchange, joint development of open-source-based solutions, and networking of experts from different fields. This form of collaboration opens opportunities for building networks and centers of excellence around shared research interests and development challenges, delivering additional value to society and the economy,” said Prof. Vedran Bilas, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb.
Prof. Marina Klačmer Čalopa, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb, added: “By participating in the development of the OpenCode.HR platform, the Faculty of Organization and Informatics of the University of Zagreb is actively implementing its Development Strategy for the 2025–2029 period and achieving objectives related to promoting open science in research and scientific activities. We believe the platform will enable even better collaboration for our staff and students and support significant advances in teaching, scientific research, and project work.”
“By developing a collaborative platform that enables the connection of the academic and research community, the foundations are being laid for more efficient exchange of source code and the implementation of joint projects. We believe Croatian researchers will recognize the advantages offered by OpenCode.HR and make full use of the infrastructure made available to them,” added Prof. Tomislav Matić, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek.
In addition to secure source code sharing via GitLab, the OpenCode.HR platform enables the creation and maintenance of technical documentation through a Wiki system, as well as communication and knowledge exchange via a Forum. At launch, alongside a central project repository that enables searching and browsing projects, OpenCode.HR also provides access to additional development tools, including a collection of tools for working with data, formats, and development tasks (IT Tools), diagramming and visual sketching tools (Excalidraw), collaborative writing, notes, and presentations (HedgeDoc), a README editor, and a license selection system (OSI).
The OpenCode.HR project manager Mijo Đerek concluded: “In addition to all of the above, the OpenCode.HR platform also includes numerous online educational resources in the form of manuals, guidelines, and interactive courses that enable users to enhance their knowledge and skills. SRCE also plans to organize live training sessions, the first of which will be held during SRCE’s annual conference, Days of e-Infrastructure – SRCE DEI 2026.”
