Governments are pushing for open access, but implementation comes with a cost.

At #FORM2025, IOI’s Sarah Lippincott presented on how we can move beyond mandates & toward strategic investment that strengthens open research ecosystems.

Watch www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh8y...

@forumforopen.bsky.social

Forum for Open Research in MENA (FORM) Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Did you miss @alittleroad.bsky.social @kirahopkins.bsky.social speaking at #FORM2025

Never fear, the presentations/recordings are now available via @forumforopen.bsky.social YouTube account & website 🎉

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#OpenScience #OpenResearch

A productive day at the Forum for Open Research in MENA hosted at the American University of Sharjah!
From Research Impact to Open Source AI, Publishing Agreements, and Research Integrity — today’s workshops inspired collaboration and innovation in open research.

#FORM2025 #OpenAccess #AI

Concluding, with our last workshop for the day, Dr. Eleanora Colangelo from The Embassy of Good Science, leads 'Research Integrity.'

This session delves into the principles and practices that uphold ethical, transparent, and responsible research - the foundation of credible #OpenScience.

#FORM2025

Up next: Workshop 3 - Negotiating Publishing Agreements, led by Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja from Qatar National Library

This session equips researchers with practical tools to understand, evaluate, and negotiate publishing agreements, ensuring fairer and more transparent #OpenAccess practices.
#FORM2025

Happening now: Workshop 2: Open Source AI and AI Scenarios, led by Sayeed Choudhury and Keith Webster from Carnegie Mellon University.

This session explores how open-source AI tools and real-world scenarios can empower researchers to responsibly embrace openness and innovation.

#FORM2025

Starting Day 4 of FORM 2025 with Workshop 1: Research Impact, led by Dr Emily Choynowski, Knowledge E and @drachiarelli.bsky.social, Research Consulting.

This session explores strategies for measuring, improving, and communicating the impact of research in the MENA region and beyond.

#FORM2025

Closing Panel N: Dr Jamel Henchiri from the University of Gabes shares insights from 15 years of sustainable publishing with the Journal of Academic Finance, reflecting on growth, challenges, and lessons for future open practices.

Join the live session: shorturl.at/CE9aJ

#OpenScience #FORM2025

Wrapping up Panel O: Dr. @wisealic.bsky.social from @clockssarchive.bsky.social discusses how collaborative archiving safeguards the future of open research, ensuring long-term access and resilience in the global scholarly ecosystem.

Watch the session live: shorturl.at/qKf5S

#OpenScience #FORM2025

Live now in Panel N, Nabil Aziz Ksibi from @orcid.org presents, 'ORCID Empowering Open Knowledge Communities'

Join the session now to discover the valuable role that ORCID plays in #OpenScience: shorturl.at/CE9aJ

#OpenAccessWeek #FORM2025

Next in Panel O, Dr Raha Orfali from King Saud University explores how institutional publishing empowers scholarship, showcasing the success of KSU’s scholarly journals as a model for sustainable #OpenAccess in the Arab world

Join live: shorturl.at/qKf5S

#FORM2025

Kicking off Panel N, Dr Fatima H. Bailey from the Sharjah Education Academy presents “Local Roots, Global Reach”, outlining a roadmap for building sustainable open science capacities across the Arab region.

Watch the session live: shorturl.at/CE9aJ

#OpenScience #FORM2025

Starting off Panel O, Dr Alwaleed Alkhaja from Qatar National Library reflects on a decade of #OpenAccess funding in Qatar, sharing key milestones, challenges, and future opportunities in advancing national research accessibility.

Watch the session live: shorturl.at/qKf5S

#OpenScience #FORM2025

Wrapping up Panel M: Sterling Jensen from the Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities offers practical insights into creating collaborative #OpenAccess journals in the Middle East from concept to thriving community.

Join the session now: shorturl.at/0j1DW

#OpenScience #FORM2025

Continuing Panel M, Rodrigo Pinto from Zendy shares how #AI bridges fragmented access to research by enhancing the quality, reliability, and reach of open access content across the Arab region.

Join live now: shorturl.at/0j1DW
#OpenScience #FORM2025

Continuing Panel L: Dr Lamis Elkheir from the African Reproducibility Network discusses how their Local Network Leads Training Program is building open science champions and strengthening collaboration across Africa.

Join live: shorturl.at/t761m

#OpenScience #FORM2025

Starting off Panel M: Khairya Elmuttardi and Reida El Oakley from the Libyan International University explore how AI is shaping the future of evidence-based publishing.

Join the session live: shorturl.at/0j1DW

#OpenScience #FORM2025 #AI #OpenAccess #MENA

First up Panel L: Dr. Andrea Chiarelli from Research Consulting shares key insights on embracing open research and lessons learned from successful initiatives across Europe and the UK.

Tune in live to explore practical takeaways for advancing openness in research: shorturl.at/t761m

#FORM2025

We’re at the Forum for Open Research in MENA at the American University of Sharjah! Proud to support open access and open science initiatives that drive knowledge forward. 💡

#FORM2025 #OpenAccessWeek #OpenResearch #KnEOpenAccess #AUS #ScholarlyPublishing

Online Access Registration - Forum for Open Research in MENA Home

Starting now: Join us for Panel L and Panel M!

Panel L: Strengthening #OpenScience Capacities and Capabilities

Panel M: Using Technologies to Advance Openness in the Arab States

Catch the sessions online for free! Register now: shorturl.at/D76Ia

#FORM2025

Closing Panel K: Bindu V Kambath from American University of Bahrain and Maria Cotera from Figshare from present their repository as a model for localising open research and building institutional research capacity.

Watch the session online: shorturl.at/SZT3T

#FORM2025 #OpenScience

Now live Panel K: Khawla El Akkili from Al Akhawayn University presents a Moroccan case study on localising an open repository, turning archival preservation into active community participation and capacity building.

Join the session online: shorturl.at/SZT3T

#FORM2025 #OpenScience #OpenResearch

Happening now in Panel K: Seteney Shami from The Arab Council for the Social Sciences discusses strategies to boost the visibility of social science research across the Arab region through open research infrastructure.

Click here to watch online: shorturl.at/SZT3T

#FORM2025 #OpenScience

Concluding Panel J, Fiona Glasgow from the American University of Sharjah presents the AUS Research Impact Challenge - an initiative leveraging open educational resources to boost research impact literacy across academia

Catch the presentation live online: shorturl.at/4rXsO

#FORM2025 #OpenScience

Up next in Panel I, Dr Ibrahem Alamoush from the Sharjah Education Academy highlights a capacity-building initiative empowering #Arabic speaking teachers to actively engage in research and #OpenScience practices.

Watch the session live online here: shorturl.at/HTRyR

#FORM2025 #OpenAccess

Next in Panel J, Véronique Lecat from the American University of Sharjah unpack how the UAE is localising #OpenAccess and licensing practices in a shifting copyright landscape, balancing openness and intellectual property.

Join the session online: shorturl.at/4rXsO

#FORM2025

Kicking off Panel I, Dr Wisal Alim and Abdallah Elgaili from Almayzab Digital Library share how Sudan is advancing #OpenAccess and building research capacity through local initiatives and collaboration.

Watch the session live online here: shorturl.at/HTRyR

#FORM2025 #OpenScience

Starting Panel J, Prof. Zeina Hojeij-Abi Abdallah from Zayed University explores how cohesive #OpenScience communities are being built across the UAE, fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and long-term impact.

Follow the discussion online: shorturl.at/4rXsO

#FORM2025 #OpenAccessWeek #UAE

Happening now: Dr Emily Choynowski, Director of Operations at FORM, presents an overview of Open Science policies and practices across the Arab world, highlighting progress, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration.

Follow along online: shorturl.at/qmAPN
#FORM2025

Happening now: Prof. Mohammad Abu Darwish, Director of Science & Scientific Research at ALECSO delivers the keynote session, exploring how education, culture, and science can work together to advance regional cooperation in #OpenScience.

Follow the discussion online: shorturl.at/bqk6W
#FORM2025