This study employed questionnaire surveys to collect 348 valid responses and utilized NVivo software for qualitative analysis, aiming to comprehensively investigate researchers’ understanding of copyright knowledge, its practical application, and the associated influencing factors within the context of open science. While the majority of researchers demonstrated a basic understanding of copyright principles, approximately one-third exhibited insufficient knowledge. Notably, 70% of participants struggled to accurately distinguish between different types of Creative Commons (CC) licenses. Furthermore, varying degrees of confusion or misuse were observed throughout key stages of the research lifecycle, including writing, submission, and publication. Approximately 22.55% of respondents reported experiencing copyright disputes, primarily involving unauthorized use of their work or improper reuse of figures and tables. Moreover, several key contributing factors were identified. First, academic training systems exhibit structural deficiencies by prioritizing disciplinary expertise over the systematic development of cross-cutting competencies such as copyright literacy. Second, mechanisms for updating copyright knowledge remain outdated, particularly concerning emerging tools like CC licenses. Third, systemic weaknesses exist in the copyright education ecosystem, characterized by heavy reliance on informal and fragmented sources rather than structured institutional training. Finally, there is a widespread lack of awareness regarding rights enforcement and ambiguity about responsibility, which is frequently delegated to journals or publishers. This issue is compounded by limited institutional incentives, insufficient support systems, and a prevailing cultural undervaluation of intellectual property rights within research practices. Over 80% of respondents expressed the need for enhanced formal training and dedicated journal-based support services. In response to these findings, this paper proposes a series of strategic interventions: 1) An innovative model for disseminating copyright knowledge that shifts from passive reception to active engagement through a “Conference Presentation + Interactive Feedback” approach tailored to specific knowledge gaps; 2) A “Three-Tiered Progressive” copyright management tool system comprising a discipline-specific “Basic Knowledge Map”, an “Intelligent Agreement Assistant” utilizing decision trees for CC license selection, and a “Personalized Consultation Platform” offering expert guidance; 3) A “Trinity Copyright Protection Mechanism” integrating a pre-submission “Early Warning and Prevention System”, a “Real-Time Response Platform” providing 24/7 expert consultation, and a “Tracking Protection Mechanism” ensuring traceability. Looking forward, multi-dimensional collaborative innovation is recommended to address deeper systemic challenges. Future directions include the development of immersive virtual reality (VR)-based training that simulates real-world publishing scenarios; the creation of a blockchain-powered platform for automated copyright lifecycle management; the design of an AI-driven “Intelligent Copyright Assistant” to resolve complex issues; the establishment of a Copyright Credit Evaluation System integrated into academic performance metrics; and the formation of an Open Science Copyright Alliance involving publishers, technology firms, and academic institutions to promote resource sharing and interoperability. These comprehensive measures aim to establish a robust, efficient, and supportive copyright ecosystem aligned with the evolving demands of open science.