In May, we organised the seventh edition of our train-the-trainer bootcamp. This five-day online event is one of OpenAIRE's flagship trainings. It provides the time and space for those who give trainings on Open Science topics, to improve the skills to effectively communicate and teach Open Science concepts to researchers, research support, students or any other stakeholders. It is also a place to exchange about various tools that support best practices in Open Science and foster a community of trainers by providing a platform for networking and collaboration.

With 175 participants to date, the bootcamp has consistently received overwhelming praise, and this edition was no exception. Participants highlighted the trainers’ deep expertise and ability to clearly explain complex Open Science topics. The delivery was consistently described as professional, engaging, and accessible, with particular appreciation for the trainers’ openness to discussion and willingness to support participants even beyond the live sessions.

To strengthen our learner-centred approach — an educational model that shifts the focus from what the trainer delivers to how learners actively engage with and apply knowledge — this edition moved away from traditional short talks followed by discussion. We adopted a flipped learning format: participants were asked to watch a 30-minute pre-recorded presentation — taken from a previous bootcamp — on the topic of the day before each live session. This freed up time for more interactive and participatory activities, including role-playing exercises, group and open discussions, quizzes (e.g. a gamified activity exploring Intellectual Property Rights), and case-based work to develop practical skills such as reviewing Data Management Plans. This approach enabled deeper engagement with the content and fostered peer interaction, further reinforcing the bootcamp’s community dimension.

The bootcamp continues to succeed as a space for community-building. Several participants noted how much they learned not only from the content, but also from one another. This supportive atmosphere fosters ongoing exchange and peer learning, helping to strengthen the broader Open Science training community.

While the overall feedback was very positive, we also took note of some areas where improvements can be made. For instance, the group assignments proved challenging for some participants, especially when group engagement was uneven. A few participants also noted that they would have preferred more structured interaction across groups to better connect with everyone during the bootcamp. These insights are valuable and will inform how we design future editions — for example, by improving onboarding materials, experimenting with smaller or rotating groups, and clarifying expectations around participation.

As we look ahead to future editions, we remain committed to refining the format and responding to participants’ needs. Each round of feedback helps us make the bootcamp more inclusive, practical, and community-driven. We are grateful to everyone who took part and contributed to another successful edition, and we look forward to welcoming a new cohort of Open Science trainers this upcoming December!

Access to the resources

The resources and presentations from the bootcamp are curated and made available on our e-learning platform, OpenPlato. The course is fully open, with materials shared under a CC BY 4.0 licence.