After two years of virtual meetings because of Covid-19, the 9thOpenAIREAMKE General Assembly (GA) took place on 6-8 September 2022in Cyprus, with thehybrid online participation from members who were unable to travel.
The meeting was hosted and facilitated by the University of Cyprus Library and NOAD representativesSylvia Koukounidou, Natasa Ioannou and ZafiroMarti and it brought togethermore than 60 participants (physical and virtual).The 3-day GA provided an excellent opportunity for members to get together, share key achievements, discuss recent developments, and agree on the next steps and goals to ensure the longevity and success of the organisation’s activities.
The General Assembly is our highest decision-making body. During the GA meetings, OpenAIRE Members have the power to shape the organisation's direction and have their say. Participation plays a central role. That is why every General Assembly has its own importance.
The 9th OpenAIRE AMKE General Assembly reinforced the importance of OpenAIRE as a legal entity as it gradually but steadily is developing into a full-fledged organisation that is now supported by an office management team of 10 experts working towards realising the ambitions of the organisation and ensuring its strong presence in the Open Science European and global landscape.
“It is very important that OpenAIRE now operates as a legal entity as it ensures transparency and sustainability thus making the organisation more trustworthy for the community.” Eloy Rodrigues
Highlights
Discussions took place over the span of three days, filled with exciting prospects for the next years and creative ideas about the direction and future of OpenAIRE as an organisation.
The first day was dedicated to reporting on all important achievements of the organisation for the past year, including project acquisition, office management and finances presented by OpenAIRE CEO, Natalia Manola. During the last year, OpenAIRE has recruited a strong office team that is dedicated to executing all related projects and organisational activities to secure OpenAIRE’s positioning as a strong partner in the European Open Science landscape.
A presentation of OpenAIRE’s Strategy Document was also put forward by Inge Van Nieuwerburgh, Chair of the Executive Boardand Eloy Rodrigues, Chair of the Open Science Strategies Standing Committee.
“On launching the new OpenAIRE strategy it’s important to outline that we cannot do this alone; building partnerships within the open community, working globally to realise the vision of Open Science and of the newly launched strategy is of utmost importance.” Inge Van Nieuwerburgh
Five strategic priorities for the next three years were highlighted:
Infrastructure for Open Scholarly Communication
Data and Service Quality Assurance
Responsible Research and Career Assessment that includes Open Science
Innovation in Research Communication and Dissemination
Monitoring Uptake of Open Science policies
OpenAIRE members were asked to think about their involvement in the delivery of the strategy and their expectations from the OpenAIRE governing and operational teams.
The day concluded with a presentation by Prodromos Tsiavos, OpenAIRE’s legal counsel, with the vision for the organisation’s emerging membership model. A model that will guarantee that OpenAIRE is able to fuel all future activities, remain sustainable and keep delivering key services that will accelerate the Open Science uptake.
The second day was dedicated to achievements and work carried through by the four Standing Committees and Working Groups from members of the OpenAIRE network. Discussions revolved around future strategic work, on how to create a global community around the OpenAIRE Guidelines, actively support research organisations in modernising their repository infrastructure and be more involved in the research assessment European transition.
“As an OpenAIRE NOAD we are actively involved in the formulation of policies on a national and institutional level but also assisting other institution to draft Open Science policies.”Sylvia Koukounidou
The third and last day of the GA focused on hearing back from the office management team who are responsible for facilitating and carrying out all tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the organisation.
New Member
We warmly welcomed Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) as an OpenAIRE associate member after their application was approved during the GA further strengthening the OpenAIRE network and encouraging knowledge sharing with institutions and organisations in Ireland.
A big thank you to all participants for attending in person and online during the 9th OpenAIRE AMKE General Assembly and ensuring the success of the organisation’s activities and future.
OpenAIRE is its people. Together we can achieve more!
