CERN Accelerating science

Preprint
Title	The Value of Open Science at CERN: An Analysis Based on a Travel Cost Model
Author(s)	Crespo Garrido, Irene del Rosario (Santiago de Compostela U. ; CERN) ; Loureiro García, María (Santiago de Compostela U.) ; Gutleber, Johannes (CERN)
Publication	2025
Number of pages	18
Published in:	10.1007/978-3-031-60931-2_5
DOI	10.1007/978-3-031-60931-2_5
Subject category	Other
Keywords	CERN ; LHC ; Travel cost method ; Willingness to pay ; Consumer surplus ; Open science ; Economic impact ; Social impact
Abstract	Open science is a fundamental root of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known by its acronym CERN. This international organization, located between Switzerland and France, has distinguished itself since its inception by sharing its discoveries, innovative technologies, and the information generated by its most ambitious project, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) so that researchers around the world and society can benefit from the data gathered and the knowledge created. One of the main characteristics of the organization is the possibility to freely visit the particle accelerators and the experiments at these machines. On these occasions, visitors can meet the scientists and learn directly from them about the organization, its discoveries, and its daily activities. This study is one of the few assessing the economic value of these initiatives. It is based on a survey using a sample size of 900 visitors to CERN during one calendar year. Results from a travel cost application show that visitor would be willing to pay a total on average at least 0.72 € over the cost of the trip per person, owing to the experience and knowledge gained during their visit to the infrastructure.
Other source	Inspire
Copyright/License	© 2025 The Author(s) (License: CC-BY-4.0)