How do we make Open Access a reality for Ireland? In 2023, the Irish Research e-Library (IReL), the National Open Research Forum (NORF), and OpenAIRE came together to build a tool that would help answer that question: the National Open Access Monitor, Ireland. Launched in March 2024, the Monitor marks an important milestone in Ireland’s journey towards 100% Open Access to research by 2030.
With five interactive dashboards tailored for different audiences - National, Research Performing Organisations (RPOs), Research Funding Organisations, Researchers, and Institutional Repositories - the Monitor provides valuable insights that help shape policy and drive compliance. Leveraging data from the OpenAIRE Graph, it aligns Ireland’s efforts with European Open Science initiatives and aims to become a trusted resource for institutions across the country.
Since the Monitor’s launch, OpenAIRE has been instrumental in offering support to organisations in curating their data, implementing dashboard tools to manage data quality, and even providing one-on-one sessions, webinars and training materials to build capacity for using the Monitor effectively.
To build on this progress, IReL, NORF, and OpenAIRE have renewed their collaboration for an additional ten months.
We are also excited to launch a new series of monthly webinars from December to April.
Whether you are new to the Monitor or want to deepen your understanding, these events will provide hands-on support, share best practices, and foster a strong, connected community dedicated to advancing Open Science in Ireland. Join us and be part of the journey toward 100% Open Access.Read all about this exciting new step in the project in the Irish Research e-Library’s official announcement here and you can find the webinar series schedule below:
- Thursday, December 12th, 2024
12pm Irish time (13pm CET)
A Year in Review & OpenOrg Sprint
A review of Year 1’s milestones and achievements. Introductory “Monitor Essentials” demo for new users. Short demo and interactive session on OpenOrgs deduplication for RPOs, with Q&A and attendee input.
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- Thursday, January 23rd, 2025
12pm Irish time (13pm CET)
Data Quality & Text Mining Q&A
Presentation on data quality practices in the Monitor, recent updates, and the role of AI and text mining in enhancing Monitor insights. Q&A with the data quality team, covering data consistency, deduplication, and text mining applications.
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- Thursday, February 13th, 2025
12pm Irish time (13pm CET)
Strengthening Collaboration: Monitor & Repository Integration
Overview of repositories' role in supporting national Open Access goals, with a focus on best practices for data integration. Practical guidance on repository data integration, focusing on interoperability, and OpenAIRE Provide, with hands-on examples.
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- Thursday, March 13th, 2025
12pm Irish time (13pm CET)
Monitor Challenges & Usability
Panel discussion with RPO/RFO representatives on challenges and feedback on usability and integration.
Live feedback sessions with users to pinpoint challenges and gather improvement suggestions.
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- Thursday, April 10th , 2025
12pm Irish time (13pm CET)
Future Pathways & Community Insights
Reflections on Pilot successes and challenges, with guest insights from PathOS and other projects on monitoring Open Science. Open discussion on potential ways to extend the benefits of the Monitor within Ireland’s Open Access landscape, with ideas for fostering long-term value and sustainability.
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