Case studies

Improving the visibility of research and collaboration through the CONNECT Gateway

Open and Connected: CIVICA’s Research Gateway for a University Alliance

Overview

CIVICA has partnered with OpenAIRE to increase the visibility of research, improve access to Open Science results and facilitate collaboration between its member institutions. By implementing the CONNECT Gateway, CIVICA has established a centralised research repository that complies with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) principles and supports the Alliance’s Open Science objectives.

Challenge & Scenario

CIVICA sought to set up a central platform on which the research results of the ten member institutions could be made visible and accessible and networked with each other. Prior to this initiative, research outputs were scattered across different institutional repositories, making it difficult to track co-authorship, identify common research topics and ensure open access compliance. The challenge was to create a unified space where researchers, students and the wider public could discover and utilise CIVICA research.

Solution & Implementation

To meet this challenge, CIVICA worked with OpenAIRE to integrate the CONNECT Gateway as a platform for aggregating research results from its partner institutions. Key steps in the implementation included: Connecting institutional repositories to OpenAIRE to create a comprehensive CIVICA collection. Using the OpenAIRE search engine to improve the discoverability of research results at member universities. Extract data from the OpenAIRE database to highlight co-authorship and interdisciplinary research links. Launch a promotional campaign to increase awareness and engagement of researchers, teachers and students. Promote the use of OpenAIRE services as part of the CIVICA Open Science incubator programme.

Impact

Although the promotional campaign for the CIVICA OpenAIRE Gateway will soon be launched, initial indicators show promising engagement: Librarians at partner institutions have started to integrate the CONNECT Gateway into their research support services. The platform facilitates collaboration between researchers by presenting interdisciplinary research topics across institutions. There are plans to develop indicators of the impact of OpenAIRE services on research to measure the long-term benefits.

CIVICA is a European University Alliance consisting of ten leading institutions in the fields of social sciences, humanities, business management and public policy. It aims to strengthen co-operation in the fields of education, research, innovation and service to society. CIVICA promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, supports Open Science initiatives and enhances the global reach of the social sciences.

"OpenAIRE and the CONNECT Gateway have provided CIVICA with an open and effective solution for increasing research visibility and fostering cross-institutional collaboration."

Sophie Forcadell, CIVICA Alliance

Related resources

View demo

CONNECT service: https://connect.openaire.eu

CONNECT Community Calls: https://www.openaire.eu/connect-community-calls

CIVICA Alliance: https://www.civica.eu

CIVICA Connect Gateway: https://civica.openaire.eu

In depth description

Details

At a time when open access to knowledge is more important than ever, CIVICA — an alliance of ten leading European universities in the social sciences, humanities, business, and public policy — has launched the CONNECT Gateway. Developed with OpenAIRE, this centralised search engine provides free access to the research results of all CIVICA member institutions. The platform brings together publications, data, and other research results in one place, making high-quality academic work openly available to researchers, students, policy makers and the public. By supporting the principles of Open Science and FAIR, the gateway strengthens cross-border collaboration and makes the knowledge of Europe’s best social science faculties more visible and impactful.

CIVICA: A European University Alliance for the Social Sciences

CIVICA, a European university alliance, was founded to improve co-operation in education, research and innovation between its ten member institutions: Bocconi University (Italy), CEU Central European University (Austria), European University Institute (Italy), Hertie School of Governance (Germany), IE University (Spain), Sciences Po (France), National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Romania), SGH Warsaw School of Economics (Poland), Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden) and the London School of Economics (UK). By 2030, CIVICA aims to be a leading force in social sciences research and to foster a diverse and connected academic community. A key objective is to improve the visibility and accessibility of research and ensure effective knowledge dissemination in line with the principles of Open Science — a goal that is significantly supported by the CONNECT Gateway.

The Need for a Central Research Hub

Before the introduction of the CONNECT Gateway, the research results of the CIVICA institutions were stored in different repositories, which made comprehensive access and analysis difficult. The lack of a centralised system limited the possibilities for collaboration, interdisciplinary research and the promotion of Open Science. In addition, it was often difficult for researchers, students and policy makers to find relevant academic work in different institutions, further fragmenting the research landscape.

Faced with these challenges, CIVICA sought a solution that would not only provide centralised access to research results but also integrate seamlessly with existing institutional repositories. OpenAIRE, an established European e-infrastructure for open scholarly communication, offered the ideal solution in the form of the CONNECT Gateway.

CIVICA Connect Gateway: https://civica.openaire.eu

Implementing the CONNECT Gateway: Key Features and Benefits

The CONNECT Gateway is more than just a search portal; it is an interactive platform that fosters collaboration, increases visibility and supports the Open Science movement. Some of the key features and benefits include:

Comprehensive aggregation of research outputs: By linking institutional repositories and recognising publications by authors belonging to CIVICA members that are available in the OpenAIRE Graph, the CONNECT Gateway serves as a central point of contact for searching for and accessing research results from all CIVICA institutions.

Improved discoverability: The platform includes the advanced search and indexing features of OpenAIRE Explore, making it easier for users to find relevant research results from different institutions.

Data-Driven Insights: CIVICA uses the OpenAIRE Graph, a scholarly research database, to gather information on co-authorship, interdisciplinary research trends and the impact of institutions on research.

Support for Open Science and FAIR Principles: The OpenAIRE CONNECT Gateway ensures that research results are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR), promoting transparency and reproducibility of scientific work.

A Resource for Students and Researchers: By integrating the Gateway into library services and academic curricula, CIVICA institutions provide students, teachers and researchers with a valuable tool for discovering and engaging with cutting-edge research.

Initial Successes and Future Prospects

Although the official promotional campaign for the CONNECT Gateway is about to start, the initial feedback from participating institutions has been overwhelmingly positive. Librarians at CIVICA universities have already integrated the Gateway into their research support services, and researchers have begun to use it to explore new opportunities for collaboration.

Looking ahead, CIVICA plans to use the CONNECT Gateway to introduce impact indicators to measure research engagement, track dissemination and evaluate the platform's effectiveness in fostering interdisciplinary connections. In addition, the Alliance aims to further promote the platform to students and encourage them to use it as a resource to discover faculty research and potential academic mentors.

A Milestone for Research Collaboration in Europe

The launch of the CONNECT Gateway is an important milestone for CIVICA and the wider European research community. By providing a single, easily accessible platform for the exchange and discovery of research results, the initiative increases the visibility of social sciences research and strengthens cross-border academic collaboration. As it develops, the Gateway will play an increasingly central role in shaping the future of research dissemination, ensuring that academic knowledge is not only produced, but also shared, utilised and developed in meaningful ways.

In an age where open access, collaboration and digital innovation are key drivers of academic progress, the CONNECT Gateway is a testament to CIVICA’s commitment to fostering a more connected and impactful research ecosystem.