The AURORA University Alliance, in its mission to foster a culture of openness and collaboration, is collaborating with OpenAIRE to introduce a series of transformative training sessions. This partnership underscores a mutual commitment to advancing Open Science practices across European universities. The initiative aims not only to enhance the Open Science performance of the university alliances, but also to facilitate research activities for both researchers and research support staff through the use of advanced tools and services.

With an emphasis on open data, open methods, and transparent, reproducible research, the initiative is set to pave the way for a new era of scientific inquiry and collaboration. The training series, designed and delivered by experts from OpenAIRE, serves as a cornerstone for this endeavour, offering hands-on guidance on how to navigate and leverage the plethora of Open Science tools and resources effectively.

Unveiling the Training Series

The training kicked off with a session focusing on the Discovery and Enhancement of Collaboration through the AURORA portal, powered by OpenAIRE. Participants were introduced to the OpenAIRE CONNECT Gateway, an innovative platform designed to facilitate the discovery and linking of research products such as publications, datasets, and software, thereby enhancing collaboration within the AURORA alliance.

A key feature discussed was the link functionality available through the AURORA portal, which enables researchers to connect their work with other research products, funding information, and datasets. This functionality is crucial for enhancing the visibility and impact of research outputs, fostering a more interconnected scientific ecosystem. It underscores the initiative's commitment to streamlining the research process and promoting an integrated approach to scholarly communication.

The session highlighted Open Science Lens, a tool enabling easy access to research publications, datasets, and software indexed in the OpenAIRE Graph directly from any web page. This practical approach to discovery was complemented by the emphasis on creating researcher profiles using BIP!Scholar, a tool that enables researchers to curate their own academic curricula, fostering a more interconnected and visible research community.

Expanding Open Access Knowledge

Subsequent sessions delved into the intricacies of Open Access, covering everything from copyright retention to the creation of Diamond Open Access Journals using Episciences, a service that supports the free publication of preprints in open access journals. This initiative underscores the commitment to breaking down barriers to knowledge dissemination and promoting equity in the scientific publishing landscape.

Embracing Data Management and Sharing

The latest session, on 18 April, addressed critical aspects of data management and sharing. Utilising tools like ARGOS for data management planning, Amnesia for anonymising datasets, and Zenodo for publishing datasets, these sessions provided a comprehensive overview of how researchers can manage, share, and publish data safely and efficiently, in alignment with Open Science principles.

In conclusion, the AURORA alliance and OpenAIRE collaboration exemplifies a shared vision for a future where Open Science is the norm. Through these training sessions, the alliance aims to empower researchers and research supporting staff with the knowledge and tools needed to excel in an increasingly open and collaborative scientific ecosystem. The initiative not only promises to enhance the research capabilities of the AURORA University Alliance but also to catalyse a broader shift towards more transparent, inclusive, and impactful research practices across Europe.

Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting journey towards Open Science. For more information, visit the AURORA portal at https://aurora.openaire.eu/.