On September the 2nd, OpenAIRE hosted the 5th edition of its highly anticipated Train-the-Trainer Bootcamp, gathering Open Science professionals from across the globe for an immersive and interactive learning experience. Held from September 2nd to 6th, our training event aimed to equip participants with advanced knowledge of Open Science practices and practical skills to train others effectively. Over the course of five days, 16 participants engaged in dynamic sessions led by our team of experts. Our aim was to equip them with advanced knowledge and practical skills in Open Science practices. Through a combination of presentations, group work, and live Q&A sessions, we fostered an engaging environment for collaboration, networking, and learning.

We kicked off the bootcamp with Pedro Principe, Head of Division at University of Minho using engaging tools and setting a collaborative tone for the event. Antonia Correia, Open Science expert and Project Manager at UMinho, introduced Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and shared tools aligning with Open Science values. Helen Clare, Open Science Specialist, covered pedagogy and training design, fostering participant engagement, while Theodora Kavvadia, our Training Coordinator at OpenAIRE, led interactive activities like "Horror and Hooray" and "One Minute Madness," enhancing teamwork with participants sharing personal stories on training effectiveness through their presentations.

In discussions on legal aspects, Marianna Katrakazi, our legal advisor, provided a comprehensive overview of Intellectual Property Rights and Open Licenses. Pascal Flohr from Leiden University and Milica Ševkušić, Project Coordinator at EIFL, expanded on preprints and Open Research Europe, and emerging Open Access publishing trends.

Data management was a key focus with sessions on the Data Curation Lifecycle, Open Data, FAIR data, and Data Management Plans (DMPs) led by Milica Ševkušić, Pedro Principe, and Pascal Flohr. Participants engaged in breakout activities using Figma to develop DMPs and sharing training effectiveness stories.

We also covered thematic areas on Open Peer Review, Citizen Science, and AI in research, with Antonia Correia and Milica Ševkušić discussing these transformative practices.

In optional sessions, Giulia Malaguarnera, our Researcher and Outreach and Engagement Officer at OpenAIRE, provided a presentation on OpenAIRE Services in the Research Lifecycle, Theodora Kavvadia discussed Pedagogy and Training Design, Milica Ševkušić showcased gamification tools while Elli Papadopoulou, Product Manager of Argos, demonstrated creating Data Management Plans using Argos.

The event concluded with Pedro Principe facilitating a final reflection session and participants presenting their training plans to OpenAIRE experts, sharing experiences, best practices, and enthusiasm for applying their new skills in promoting Open Science. Uncover perspectives from the participants by reading on:

“From my experience, using OpenPlato was very positive. The platform was easy to navigate, and interacting with it felt intuitive. The overall process was smooth, and the tool proved to be extremely useful.”

“The most positive was the interaction and networking with the trainers and the other participants. All the resource shared are really useful on the different issues, complementing the ones that I already knew and used.”

“Learning about experience of other trainers; exposure to new resources and opportunity to revisit and reassess material I had encountered previously. General delivery of course was helpful and encouraging.”

“Overall, I'm impressed with how professional and knowledgeable the trainers were. I also liked that the course description made it clear that the training would be intensive.”

Overall, the Train-the-Trainer Bootcamp was a resounding success, not only for the depth of knowledge shared but also for the highly interactive and supportive environment it fostered. Participants left with a comprehensive understanding of Open Science topics—ranging from data management to legal frameworks—and gained valuable experience in designing and delivering effective training programs.

We are proud that our event also laid the groundwork for future networking and collaboration. Many participants expressed their eagerness to continue supporting each other and driving Open Science initiatives forward. At OpenAIRE, we remain committed to empowering educators and look forward to future bootcamps, where educators from around the globe can unite to enhance their knowledge, skills, and collaborative networks in the ever-evolving field of Open Science.

Check some highlights: