2026 Programme
Day 1
19th October 2026 | 8:30 – 18:00 GST
ONLINE EVENT
8:30 – 9:00 GST
Welcome Ceremony
New Members Welcome
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research in MENA
9:00 – 10:30 GST
Plenary Session 1: Open Science During Times of Crisis
Chair: Ranwa Abdulrazzaq, Knowledge E
Keeping an Open Access Journal Alive in Wartime: Lessons from the Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences
Dr. Nazik Elmalaika, University of Tabuk
When Knowledge Systems Fracture: Designing Resilient Research and Knowledge Infrastructures in Times of Crisis
Amina Itani, Western Australian Museum
Open Science in Times of Crisis: Documenting Scholasticide in Gaza
Dr. Rana Dajani, Hashemite University
10:45 – 12:15 GST
Plenary Session 2: Open Science During Times of Recovery
Chair: Dr. Batool Almarzouq, Open Science Community Saudi Arabia
Resilience in the Face of Crises
Dr. Mahmoud Nasani, Aleppo University for Scientific Affairs
Building Research Resilience Through Open Science in Iraq: Challenges, Institutional Practices, and Lessons Learned
Dr. Salwan M. Abdulateef, Open Science Community Iraq (OSCI)
Societal Polarization and Academic Freedom in the Time of Symbolic Liberalism
Dr. Sari Hanafi, American University of Beirut
12:15 – 13:00 GST
Lunch Break
13:00 – 15:00 GST
Plenary Session 3: Building Resilience With Open Science
Chair: Dr. Imad Bachir, American University of Iraq – Baghdad
Advancing Open Science in the Arab Region: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Transformative Contribution of Earth Observation and Open Data
Dr. Islam Abou El-Magd, Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN)
Strategising for Sustainability: National Open Policy Landscape in the Arab Region
Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research in MENA
Open Educational Resources (OER) as a Tool to Enhance the Resilience and Sustainability of Public Education During Crises: An Applied Study and Developmental Vision Based on Schools in the Abu Salim Municipality
Dr. Dr. Abdulsalam Mohammed Al-Shukri, Ministry of Education (Libya)
Open Science as a Resilience Strategy: Maintaining Research Autonomy During Times of Crisis
Dr. Naeem Muhammad, DataAI
15:15 – 16:45 GST
Plenary Session 4: Long Term Strategies & Outlooks
Chair: Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research in MENA
Higher Education Resilience in the Arab Region: The Role of Open Science and AArU Strategies in Times of Crisis and Reconstruction
Dr. Walid Salama, Association of Arab Universities (AArU)
When Research Infrastructure Collapses: Open Science, Academic Autonomy, and Resilience in Conflict
Dr. Amani Ahmed, University of Edinburgh
Open Science and Research Resilience in Times of Crisis
Dr. Lamis Elkheir, African Reproducibility Network (ARN)
Day 2
20th October 2026 | 9:00 – 17:30 GST
ONLINE EVENT
9:00 – 11:00 GST
Parallel Sessions
Panel 1: Regional Strategic Resilience Case Studies (Arabic)
Chair: Dr. Kamel Belhamel, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
Building Resilience and Research Independence in the Arab World Through Open Science: From the Libyan Platform to the Smart Arab Platform
Dr. Omar Bouzid, Libyan Centre for Electronic System Programming and Aviation Research
From the Cost of Knowledge to the Sustainability of Knowledge: Toward a Sustainable Economic Model for Open Science in Arab Information Institutions
Dr. Khaled Elhalaby, Arab Institution of Knowledge Management | Dr. Hadeer Kamel, Alwasl University
Enhancing Scientific Research Resilience in the Arab World: The Role of Open Science in Making Arab Medical Knowledge Accessible and Developing AI-powered Translation Tools
Dr. Rabab Almuqahwi, RCSI-Bahrain | Dr. Kawthar Ali, RCSI-Bahrain
The Role of Open Scientific Publications in Research Resilience: A Diamond Open Access Journal in the Arab World
Dr. Jamel Henchiri, RED Laboratory & University of Gabes, Tunisia
Panel 2: Enhancing Resilience with Research Infrastructures (English)
Chair: Dr. Victorien Dougnon, Université d’Abomey-Calavi
Beyond Open Access: Decolonizing Research Infrastructures for Resilient and Autonomous Knowledge Systems
Favour Ayeni, Federal University Oye-Ekiti
Preserving Knowledge in Challenging Landscapes: Digital Preservation as a Foundation for Resilient and Autonomous Research Systems
Dr. Gali Halevi, CLOCKSS
Pocket Archive: A Low-footprint Solution for Cultural Heritage at Risk
Stefano Cossu, Harvard University
11:15 – 13:15 GST
Parallel Sessions
Parallel Panels 3 & 4
Panel 3: Regional Strengths During Challenging Times (English)
Chair: Dr. Raed Al-Zoubi, Jordan University of Science and Technology
From Open Research to Accessible Science: The Value of Scientific Community in Ensuring the future of a Resilient MENA Region
Dr. Arwa Ahmed, Scientific Arab Forum (SAF)
Before Knowledge Can Be Open, It Must Survive: Archives, Metadata, and Community Custody as Research Infrastructure in Times of War
Ghada Dimashk, American University of Beirut
Learning Communities That Do Not Break: Lessons from Pakistan on Open Knowledge in Times of Crisis
Mohammad Umaid, Al-Fateh Institute of Health Sciences
Between Choice and Constraint: Family Resilience in Alternative and Interrupted Education
Janaan Farhat, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research
Panel 4: Supporting Research Communities in the Arab World (English)
Chair: Rima Qayed, Knowledge E
Power in Numbers, Protection by Design: Aligning Responsible Health-data Governance With Public Health Research Needs in MENA
Dr. Douaa Mugahid, Harvard School of Public Health | Dr. Abdalla Z. Mohamed, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU)
From Evidence to Action: The Role of Open and Transparent Research in Managing Human-made Crises in Developing Countries
Nasif Chowdhury, Anwer Khan Modern University
Access Without Walls: Sustaining Research and Knowledge Access During Regional Disruption at RCSI Bahrain
Dr. Bindhu Nair, RCSI-Bahrain | Dr. Suchita Dsilva, RCSI-Bahrain
Advancing Open Science in the Arab Region: The Role of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI)
Prof. Amany Elsayed, Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI)
13:15 – 14:00 GST
Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30 GST
Parallel Sessions
Parallel Panels 5 & 6
Panel 5: Building Resilient Research Cultures (Arabic)
Chair: Jacir Hilmi, Forum for Open Research in MENA
Support from Arab Academic Institutions for Open Access Publishing and Its Role in Fostering a Culture of Open Access Among Their Faculty Members and Researchers
Dr. Saif Al Jabiri, Sultan Qaboos University
Learning Without Borders: Empowering Displaced Students Through Open Educational Resources
Joyce Aways, Hamad Bin Khalifa University
Open Science in Times of Crisis: Strengthening Research Resilience in the Arab Region
Prof. Abdelrahman Farrag, Arab Community of Open Access (ACOA) | Touria Slimani, National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) | Samira Nait Ajjou, National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST)
Open Science and Open Access in Lebanon: Progress, Barriers, and Future Directions
Dr. Imad Bachir, American University of Iraq – Baghdad
Panel 6: Enhancing Knowledge Equity in the Arab World (English)
Chair: Rima Qayed, Knowledge E
From Access to Agency: Open Access Books as a Catalyst for Knowledge Equity and Research Resilience in the Arab World
Dr. Anna Walek, OAPEN
Building Resilience With Open Research Network and Databases
Dr. Cameron Neylon, ORION
Higher Education in Times of Conflict: Mapping the Research Terrain and the Conditions of Knowledge Production
Dr. Rui da Silva, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research
15:45 – 17:15 GST
Plenary Roundtable
Supporting Resilience in Countries Undergoing Crisis
Moderator: Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research in MENA
Bianca Kramer, Barcelona Declaration
Nabil Ksibi, OA Switchboard
Claire Redhead, OASPA
Kamran Kardan, Zendy
Rebecca Hill, Taylor & Francis
Maria Cotera, Digital Science
17:15 – 17:30 GST
Closing & Key Takeaways
Moderator: Dr. Emily Choynowski, Forum for Open Research in MENA
Day 3
21st October 2026 | 11:00 – 15:00 GST
ONLINE EVENT
11:00 – 12:30 GST
Members AGM
13:00 – 15:00 GST
Workshop
Promoting Shared Understanding and Global Pathways for Open Science
Dr. Firas Al Laban, University of Potsdam | Jan Bernoth, University of Potsdam
