2025 Programme
This is the provisional programme for the 2025 Annual Forum. Further details and potential updates will be announced in due course.
Day 1
20th October 2025 | 9:00 – 20:00
ONLINE
09:30 – 11:00
Parallel Panels
SESSION 1
Panel A: Collaborative Openness in the Arab World (Arabic)
Towards Building Effective Community Engagement to Support Open Science in Morocco
Touria Slimani, National Center for Scientific and Technical Research | Samira Nait Ajjou, National Center for Scientific and Technical Research
Governance Strategies for Institutional Repositories: Analysis and Recommendations for Algerian Universities
Nadia Smaili, Khemis Miliana University
Data Journals and their Role in Enhance Publishing and Sharing of Open Research Data
Dr. Kareman Baknam Sedki Abdel Aziaz, Cairo University
Panel B: Challenges and Opportunities for Arab Open Science (Arabic)
Investing in Open Science in Arab Public Universities: A Survey Study of the Views of Heads of Library and Information Science Departments in the MENA Region
From Isolation to Openness: Opportunities for Embracing Open Science Principles in Arab Law Schools
Dr. Rasha Takieldin, Mansoura University
Open Data in Sensitive Research Contexts: Ethical Dilemmas and Structural Barriers in Fieldwork on Iran’s Foreign Policy in the Sahel Region
Malak Benkirane, UCLouvain
11:00 – 11:30
Break
11:30 – 13:00
Parallel Panels
SESSION 2
Panel C: The Hidden Costs of Openness (English)
The Cost of Public Access: Do We Get What We Pay for?
Sarah Lippincott, Invest in Open Infrastructure
PKP Doesn’t Just Believe in Open—It Builds It. Now It Needs Your Support
John Willinsky, The Public Knowledge Project at Simon Fraser University | Urooj Nizami, The Public Knowledge Project at Simon Fraser University
From Passive Subjects to Active Partners: Democratising Research through Public Participation and Localised Capacity Building for Gulf Knowledge Economies
Dr. Fatma Said, Zayed University
Panel D: Encouraging Open Access Advocacy (English)
Open Access in the Arab World: A Wealth in Programs and a Dearth in Cooperation
Samir Hachani, University of Algiers 2
Recent Open Science Endeavours at Koç University
Dr. Cem Birol, Koç University | Tuba Akbaytürk, Koç University
Advancing Open Access Books through Community-Driven Collaboration
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30
Parallel Panels
SESSION 3
Panel E: Roundtable (Arabic)
Beyond Borders: Building Collaborative Networks for Open Science Communities in MENA
Menna Emam, Open Science Community Egypt | Doaa Mohamed Abdelkader, Open Science Community Egypt | Yassmeen Ashraf, Open Science Community Egypt | Batool AlMarzouq, Open Science Community Saudi Arabia | Salwan Abdulateef, Open Science Community Iraq
Panel F: Localising Capacity Building Strategies (English)
The Challenge of Equitable Open Access in the Arab World: Bridging the Gap through Localised Capacity Building
Maryam Sayab, Asian Council of Science Editors
A Call to Action: Reimagining Open Education and Research Pathways for Displaced Students and Scholars in the MENA Region
Amina Itani, NW University
Capacity Building and Localisation of Persistent Identifiers: The Africa PID Alliance’s Digital Object Identifier Container (DOCID™) Model for Empowering Open Knowledge Communities
15:30 – 16:00
Break
16:00 – 18:00
Parallel Panels
SESSION 4
Panel G: Building Open Science Communities (English)
The Power of Open Science Communities
Advancing Open Science Communities in South Asian through Regional Collaboration and Diplomacy
Dr. Pragya Chaube, Open Science South Asia Network
Community Building and Engagement in Open Science Across Africa and the Arab States.
Joy Owango, Africa Training Centre in Communication | Raed Al-Zoubi, Jordan University of Science & Technology | Yousef Torman, Arab Scientific Research & Education Network
Advancing Open Science in the Middle East: Iran’s Role in Strengthening Scientific Diplomacy
Dr. Farshid Danesh, Islamic World Science & Technology Monitoring and Citation Institute
Panel H: Practical Applications of Open Science Policies and Practises (English)
Teaching Predatory Journal Appraisal Using Persuasive System Design and Gamification
Mohamed Elahi, University of Doha of Science & Technology | Antonio Reise Miguel, University of Doha of Science & Technology | Esther Makumbe, University of Doha of Science & Technology | Muzan Abbas, University of Doha of Science & Technology | Khadija Mahsud, University of Doha of Science & Technology | Kevin McCormick, University of Doha of Science & Technology
UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme’s Water Information Network System (IHP-WINS)
Dr. Mohamed Alaoui, UNESCO
Open Finance: Building Collaborative Ecosystems for Economic Development in the Arab World
Dr. Muhamad Jumaa, Jumeira University
Localising Open Science Practices in Clinical Research: A Capacity-Building Framework for the Arab Region
Sherif Kamal, Tawasol
19:00 – 20:00
Welcome Reception and Early Registration
Centro Hotel Sharjah, Garden
Day 2
21st October 2025 | 8:00 – 21:00
MAIN CONFERENCE ROTUNDA
8:00 – 9:00
Registration & Coffee
Main Conference Rotunda
9:00-10:00
Welcome Ceremony
Location
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research MENA
Kamran Kardan, Knowledge E Foundation
10:00-11:00
Keynote
Location
Details to be announced shortly.
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
Main Conference Rotunda
11:30-12:30
UAE Leadership Panel
Location
12:30 – 14:00
Lunch
Main Conference Rotunda
14:00-15:00
State of Play: Overview of Open Science Policies and Practises in the Arab World
Location
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research MENA
15:00 – 15:30
Coffee Break
Main Conference Rotunda
15:30 – 17:00
Parallel Sessions
SESSION 5
Panel I: Open Science Advancements – Arab States Case Studies (Arabic)
Location
Challenges and Opportunities of Open Access in the Arab World – The Libyan Academy as a Model
Immer Jomah, The Libyan Academy for Postgraduate Studies | Musa Faneer
Enhancing Teachers’ Research Engagement: A Capacity-Building and Community-Oriented Initiative in Arabic
Dr. Ibrahem Alamoush, Sharjah Education Academy | Abdelhafid Barir
Open Access and Open Science Trends in the Arab Region: A Bibliometric Study of FORM Proceedings, 2021–2024
Abdelrahman Farrag, Beni-Suef University, Egypt | Doaa Abdelkader, Open Science Community Egypt | Touria Slimani, National Center for Scientific and Technical Research
Panel J: Open Science Advancements in the UAE (English)
Location
Building Cohesive Open Science Communities in the UAE
Dr. Zeina Hojeij, Zayed University
Navigating a New Copyright Environment: Localising Open Access and Licensing Practices in the UAE
Veronique Lecat, American University of Sharjah | Thomas Hodge, American University of Sharjah
Building Research Impact Literacy through Open Educational Resources: The AUS Research Impact Challenge
Fiona Glasgow, American University of Sharjah
17:00 – 17:15
Comfort Break
17:15 – 18:15
Parallel Roundtables
SESSION 6
Panel K: Building for Openness in the Arab World (English)
Location
Open Research Infrastructure: Increasing Social Science Research Visibility in the Arab Region
Seteney Shami, Arab Council of Social Science
From Preservation to Participation: Localising an Open Repository for Archival Access and Capacity Building in Morocco
Localising Open Research: The American University of Bahrain Repository as a Model for Capacity Building
Roundtable: Planning for Open: Identifying and Addressing Regional Challenges and Priorities (English)
Location
Rui da Silva, Al Qasimi Foundation | Victorien Dougnon, University of Abomey-Calavi | Melissa Hagemann, BOAI | Raed Al Zoubiu, Jordan University of Science & Technology | Luciana Machado, Science Integrity Alliance | Lamis Elkheir, AREN | Batool Almarzouq, OSCSA | Dr. Imad Bachir, American University of Iraq (AUIB) | Dr. Rabab Isa Saleh Almuqahwi,
RCSI Bahrain
18:15 – 19:00
Transport to Gala Dinner
Collection Point: TBC
19:00 – 21:00
Gala Dinner
Chedi Al Bait in Sharjah
Day 3
22nd October 2025 | 9:30 – 18:00
MAIN CONFERENCE ROTUNDA
9:30 – 10:00
Signing Ceremony for New Members
Location
10:00-11:00
Keynote
Location
Details to be announced shortly.
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
Main Conference Rotunda
11:30 – 13:00
Parallel Sessions
SESSION 7
Panel L: Strengthening Open Science Capacities and Capabilities (English)
Location
Embracing Open Science: Lessons Learned across Europe and the UK
Dr. Andrea Chiarelli, Research Consulting
AREN’s Local Network Leads Training Program: Building Open Science Champions Across Africa
Strengthening Open Science in the Arab World: The Role of Institutional Repositories in Enhancing Research Accessibility
Abeer Saad, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
Panel M: Using Technologies to Advance Openness in the Arab States (English)
Location
Building the Future of Evidence: AI-Assisted Open Access Revolution in Scientific Publishing
Khairya Elmuttardi, Libyan International University | Reida El Oakley, Libyan International University | Ghyth A. Elmehrik, Libyan International University
Linked Open Data in Iran: Sharing an Experience
Dr. Seyed Mahdi Taheri, Allameh Tabataba’i University
From Concept to Community: Practical Insights on Building Collaborative Open Access Journals in the Middle East
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch and Annual General Assembly (for Members)
Main Conference Rotunda
14:30 – 16:00
Parallel Sessions
SESSION 8
Panel N: Open Science Capacity Building in the Arab World (Arabic)
Location
Digital Humanities Labs in the Arab World: Current Challenges and the Potential for Open Crowdfunding
Dr. Hadeer Kamel, Al Wasl University
Advancing Open Science in Post-Conflict Iraq: From marginalisation to Community-Led Transformation
Dr. Salwan Abdulateef, Open Science Community Iraq | Prof. Dr. Thafer Thabit Mohammed
15 Years of a Sustainable Publication Practice with the Journal of Academic Finance
Dr. Jamel Henchiri, RED-ISGG Laboratory
Panel O: Open Access Success Stories (English)
Location
A Decade of Open Access Funding in Qatar: From Challenges to Opportunities
Dr. Alwaleed Alkjaha, Qatar National Library
Empowering Scholarship through Institutional Publishing: The Case of King Saud University’s Scholarly Journals
Dr. Raha Orfali, King Saud University | Nasser-Eddine Rikli
Preserving Access: building Open Science Resilience through Collaborative Archiving
Dr. Alicia Wise, CLOCKSS
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee Break
Main Conference Rotunda
16:30-17:30
Roundtable: Investing in Open
Location
Unlocking Open Science: Why Open Infrastructure Matters for the Arab World
Rosalie Lack, Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services | Dr. Alwaleed K. Alkhaja, Qatar National Library | Dr. Mohamed Boufarss, Zayed University | Kamel Belhamel, Directory of Open Access Journals
17:30-18:00
Closing and Takeaways
Location
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research MENA
Day 4
23rd October 2025 | 9:00 – 14:30
AUS Library
09:00 – 11:00
Parallel Workshops
WORKSHOP 1: Research Impact
Location
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Knowledge E
Dr. Andrea Chiarelli, Research Consulting
WORKSHOP 2: Open Source AI and AI scenarios
Location
Sayeed Choudry, Carnegie Mellon University
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
Main Conference Rotunda
11:30 – 13:30
Parallel Workshops
WORKSHOP 3: Negotiating Publishing Agreements
Location
WORKSHOP 4: Research Integrity
Location
Eleanora Colangelo, Frontiers
14:30 – 18:30
Mangrove Tree Planting Activity
Location
