Programme
*The 2024 Programme will be announced closer to the dates of the conference and is subject to change.
Our Advisory Board is currently reviewing abstract submissions and will be finalising their decisions for our programme by early July.
The 3rd Annual Forum will be held under the theme of “Transforming Knowledge Into Action”, where we will explore tangible and practical strategies for the implementation of Open Science policies throughout the Arab world, using localised and actionable insights from knowledgeable speakers across the region and beyond.
Open Science in higher education institutions and research communities is a highly complex and rapidly evolving landscape, and there are many ways of transforming knowledge into practical action. We have therefore identified 4 thematic areas for this year’s Annual Forum, reflecting the priorities of our members and wider network across the Arab states:
- Policies and funding:
- Open access and research assessment policies
- Funding sources and allocations
- developing policies and determining best practises to support sustainability in Arab scholarly communications ecosystems
- Incorporating SDGs in research and education strategic planning
- Open Access publishing and open education resources
- Preprints, transparent peer review, and open access publishing
- Creating and disseminating open resources
- The commercialisation of Open Science
- Building and using Institutional repositories
- Capacity building and community engagement
- Adapting and decolonising practises and resources for the Arab region
- Building and Sustaining Communities of Practices (CoP) in Arabic speaking countries
- Digital and human capacity building
- Open infrastructure and infrastructure supporting Open Science
- The rise of community-owned and community-led Open Science infrastructures and publications
- Implementing reproducible, open and interoperable infrastructure in the Arab region
- Using AI to advance engagement with open science policies and practises in the Arab world
Sadiyaat Rotana Resort
18:00-20.00
Welcome Drinks Reception and Early Registration
Sponsored by IEEEAl Sadiyaat Rotana Resort | |
| 8:00-8.45 | Registration |
| 9:00-9.30 | Welcome Ceremony |
| 9:30-10:15 | Keynote |
| 10:15-10:45 | Coffee Break |
| 10:45-12:30 | Opening up the Arab Region: Strategic Policy Making |
| Introduction to FORM activities, Dr Emily Choynowski | |
| Moderated discussion (leading regional research organisations) | |
| Moderator: Dr Yousef Torman, Arab Scientific Research and Education Network | |
| 12:30-2:00 | Lunch |
| 1:30-2:15 | Transport to Khalifa University |
At Khalifa University | |
| 2:30-2:45 | Welcome to Khalifa University |
| 2:45-3:45 | Keynote |
| 3:45-4:15 | Coffee Break |
| 4:15-5:45 | Presidents Panel (UAE University Presidents) |
| Moderator, Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC | |
| 5:45-6:45 | Drinks Reception |
| 6:45-7:45 | Tour of The Body Museum (Khalifa University) |
| 7:00-9:00 | CLOSED SESSION: “A new non-governmental Arab Association for Open Sciences in higher education: Strategy and Establishment” (attendance by invitation only) |
Sadiyaat Rotana Resort
8:00-8.45
Registration
9:00-9.40
Welcome Ceremony
– Kamran Kardan, Knowledge E Foundation
– His Excellency Mubarak Al Nakhi, UAE Ministry of Culture Undersecretary
– Dr. Salah Khaled, UNESCO
– Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Khalifa University of Science Technology
9:40-10:00
Keynote
– HE Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Education
10:00-10:45
Coffee Break
10:45-12:30
Regional Strategy Panel
Introduction to FORM Activities
– Dr. Emily Choynowski, FORM
Moderated Discussion
Chair: Dr. Yousef Torman (Arab Scientific Research & Education Network)
– Exc. Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Association of Arab Universities Egypt & Former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
– Prof. Mahmoud Sakr, Egyptian Academy for Scientific Research and Technology
– Prof. Seteney Shami, Arab Council for the Social Sciences
– H.E. Prof Abdelmajid Ben Amara, Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils
– Dr. Hend Altair, Technology & Science Research Department of the UAE Ministry of Education
– Dr. Nazar Hassan, UNESCO Regional Office
12:30-1:30
Lunch
1:30-2:15
Transport to Khalifa University
At Khalifa University
2:30-2:45
Welcome to Khalifa University
– Dr. Bayan Sharif, Provost at Khalifa University
2:45-3:00
Khalifa’s Open Access Case Study
– Walter Brian Hall, Khalifa University
3:00-4:00
Keynote
Chair: Dr. Abdulla Al Hefeiti (Khalifa University)
– Dr. Salvatore Aricò, CEO of the International Science Council
4:00-4:30
Coffee Break
4:30-5:30
Leadership Panel
Chair: Heather Joseph (SPARC)
– Panellists TBC: 6 pre-selected Presidents of leading UAE universities
5:30-6:45
Drinks Reception
7:00-9:00
Closed Session:
A new non-governmental Arab Association for Open Sciences in higher education: Strategy and Establishment (attendance by invitation only)
Al Sadiyaat Rotana Resort | |
| 8:00-8.45 | Registration |
| 9:00-9.30 | Welcome Ceremony |
| 9:30-10:15 | Keynote |
| 10:15-10:45 | Coffee Break |
| 10:45-12:30 | Opening up the Arab Region: Strategic Policy Making |
| Introduction to FORM activities, Dr Emily Choynowski | |
| Moderated discussion (leading regional research organisations) | |
| Moderator: Dr Yousef Torman, Arab Scientific Research and Education Network | |
| 12:30-2:00 | Lunch |
| 1:30-2:15 | Transport to Khalifa University |
At Khalifa University | |
| 2:30-2:45 | Welcome to Khalifa University |
| 2:45-3:45 | Keynote |
| 3:45-4:15 | Coffee Break |
| 4:15-5:45 | Presidents Panel (UAE University Presidents) |
| Moderator, Heather Joseph, Executive Director of SPARC | |
| 5:45-6:45 | Drinks Reception |
| 6:45-7:45 | Tour of The Body Museum (Khalifa University) |
| 7:00-9:00 | CLOSED SESSION: “A new non-governmental Arab Association for Open Sciences in higher education: Strategy and Establishment” (attendance by invitation only) |
Sadiyaat Rotana Resort
9.00-10.30
Parallel Panels
Panel A: How to be open: Case studies from Arab Research Libraries
Chair: Dr. Imad Bachir (American University of Iraq – Baghdad)
Empowering the Research Community, Inspiring Transformation and Supporting the Educational and Research Missions of UAEU: The UAEU Libraries Manifesto
– Ameneiha Itani, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU)
Read and Publish Open Access Agreements: The Case of Qatar National Library
– Dr. Alwaleed AlKhaja, Qatar National Library
Academic Libraries Role in the Open Science Era
– Raed Al-Zoubi, Jordan University of Science and Technology
Panel B: Believing in Open: Building trust and ensuring research Integrity
Chair: Prof. Kamel Belhamel (DOAJ)
The Burden of Predatory Academic Journals and Conferences in Benin (West Africa): deep roots and options to promote proper open science
– Dr. Victorien Dougnon, University of Abomey-Calavi
Research integrity: can open science publishing help to safeguard and build trust in research?
– Carolyn Kirby, F1000
Benefits and (Sometimes Hidden) Costs of Open Science: Preparing for Problems and Mitigating Them
– Rick Anderson, Birgham Young University
10.30-11.00
Coffee
11.00-12.30
Parallel Panels
Panel C: Policies and Practises to support the transition to Open Science in Research
Chair: Dr. Rabab Almuqahwi (RCSI Bahrain)
Fostering Open Science in R&D: An Exploration of Research Funders’ Role
– Nada Jammoul Messaikeh, Alliance Manchester Business School
– Reem Jamil Younis, R&D Consultant
Addressing the elephant in the room: science policy as a driver of open science in the UAE
– Mohamed Boufarss, House of Wisdom
The Foundational Role of Open Access in Open Science: what can be done?
– Geoffrey Boulton & Moumita Koley, International Science Council
Panel D: Supporting sustainability: Developing Arab Open Science ecosystems
Chair: Ameneiha Itani (UAE University)
Driving Economic Knowledge through Open Science in Saudi Arabia
– Dr. Batool Almarzouq, The Alan Turing Institute
Citation Impact of Open Access Publications by Scholars in the Middle East
– Nikesh Narayanan & Yrjo Lappalainan, Zayed University
Building and Sustaining Communities of Practice (CoP) in Arabic-Speaking Countries
– Haleema Alsabah, Abu Dhabi University
12.30-2.00
Lunch
2.00-3.30
Parallel Panels
Panel E: Academic human resource building in the UAE – moderated discussion panel
Chair: Dr. Tatiana Karabchuk (UAEU University)
– Dr. Mohammed Farid, TRENDS
– Prof. Glenn Muschert, Khalifa Univeristy
– Prof. Habibul Knondker, Zayed University
– Dr. Saad Ibrahim Yaaqeib, Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development
– Mrs. Aizhan Shomotova, Zayed University/UAE University
– Prof. Ali Shehadeh, College of Education, UAE University
– Prof. Bronwyn Wood, College of Business and Economics, UAE University
Panel F: Globalising Arab Research: Maximising visibility and accessibility with Open Science
Chair: Dr. Batool Almarzouq (Turing Institute/OSCSA)
The most common challenges to Arabic Translation and Localization; Current and Future Position of Arabic Scientific Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Existence of Open Access Research
– Dr. Rabab Almuqahwi, RCSI Bahrain
The Open Science in the Arab World: The Current Practices and Challenges
– Dr. Mohamed Salah Eldin Mohamed, Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
Navigating Linguistic and Academic Tensions: Rethinking Language and Knowledge Production in Gulf Higher Education
– Jessica Maluch, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research
3.30-4.00
Coffee Break
4.00-5.30
Parallel Panels
Panel G: Open Data and Open Source: Benefits and Case Studies
Chair: Raed Al-Zoubi (Jordan University of Science & Technology)
Leveraging Big Data and Machine Learning to Enhance Open Data Quality: Insights for Developing Regions
– Rodrigo Pinto, Zendy
The Intersection of SciArt and Open Data: Communicating Climate Change Mitigation in the MENA Region
– Nada Alshammari, Higher Colleges of Technology
Open Source Software and OSPOs: The Connection between Open Science and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
– Sayeed Choudhury, Carnegie Mellon University
Panel H: Preprints and Publishing: Open Access Strategies and Developments
Chair: Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja (Qatar National Library)
Improving Open Access Workflows in Scholarly Communications with the Advent of Artificial Intelligence
– Prof. Kamel Behamel, Directory of Open Access Journals
Evaluating Institutional Repositories in Select Leading Arab Universities with Focus on literature about the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
– Dr. Imad Bachir, American University of Iraq – Baghdad
Institutional Repository: opening doors to undergraduate scholarship
– Tatiana Usova, Carnegie Mellon University
5.30-5.45
Comfort Break
5.45-6.45
Keynote
Chair: Kamran Kardan (Knowledge E Foundation)
Open Sharing of Knowledge for the Benefit of the Global Community
– Heather Joseph, Executive Director of the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)
6.45-7.00
Thanks & Acknowledgements
8.00-10.00
Gala Dinner
Online* (virtual attendance only)
9.00-10.30
Parallel Panels
Panel I: Strategies to encourage researcher engagement with open access
Chair: Dr. Emily Choynowski (FORM)
Ensuring Engagement: Lifelong Learning Through OER
– Isaac Tabor, Knowledge E
A Tree for Every Research Article: The Company of Biologists’ Commitment to Biodiversity and Sustainability
– Sarah Logan, The Company of Biologists
Opening the Open: Role of Article Processing Charges and Publication Fee in Opening Knowledge from Sub-Sahara Africa
– Alkasim Hamisu Abdu, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano
Panel J: Barriers to openness: Challenges and solutions
Chair: Marilyn Davis (Montclair State University)
Conflicts in the Arab World and Challenges of Achieving Open Science and Democracy
– Ebtsam Abdullah
Overcoming barriers to realise opportunities: Open Research in Economics Education in the Arab World
– Nick Sheppard & Salha Abdo, Knowledge Equity Network (KEN)
Capacity Building for Open Science Education in the UAE: An Examination of Perception and Integration Strategies
– Dr. Tosin Ekundayo, Synergy University Dubai
10.30-11.00
Break
11.00-12.30
Parallel Panels
Panel K: Opening up around the world: Global case studies
Chair: Isaac Tabor (Knowledge E)
Are We Open Yet? Evaluating the Progress of One Library’s Open Science Initiatives
– Jordan Bass, University of Manitoba
Education for sustainable development in the Arab World: Strategies for Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
– Sosil Somokian, Box Hill College Kuwait
A tale of two open source software in Libraries: Present and Future
– Mohit Garg, Indian Institute of Technology
Panel L: Decolonisation: How Open Science benefits everyone
Chair: Nahil Nassar (FORM)
Global Equity in Open Academic Book Publishing
– Dr. Danny Kingsley, OAPEN Foundation
Recalibrating the scope of scholarly publishing: A modest step in a vast decolonization process
– Saurabh Khanna, PKP
AfricArXiv – Increasing discoverability of African research output
– Jo Havermann, AfrixArxiv
12.30-2.00
Lunch
2.00-3.30
Parallel Panels
Panel M: How open are we? Regional Evaluations
Chair: Rasha Atia Kadri Ibrahim (Fatima College of Health Sciences)
Sustainable Development and Higher Education: Investigating the Impact of Open Science Ecosystems on Academic Communities in the Arab World
– Dr. Aftab Ara, College of Business Administration, University of Hail
Overview of the current state of open science in the Arab world
– Ali Saleh Alkhabti, University of Business & Technology (UBT)
What is the perspective for open sciences in the reform of the higher education ecosystem in Morocco?
– Elomari Driss, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University
Workshop A – Dr. Emily Choynowski on Predatory Publishing & Conferences
3.30-4.00
Coffee Break
4.00-5.30
Parallel Panels
Panel N: Becoming open: Building Open Research communities
Chair: Dr. Emily Choynowski (FORM)
Open Science Community in Egypt initiative
– Doaa Abdelkader, British University in Egypt
– Yasmeen Ashraf, Cairo University
– Menna Bahloul Emam, Galala University
Building sustainable workplace communities of practices across diverse multinational contexts within the Arabian Gulf Region
– Anthonia Akhidenor-Bamidele, University of Technology Bahrain
Building and Sustaining Communities of Practice among Health Professions Educators of the MENA region
– Ciraj Ali Mohammed, National University of Science & Technology Oman
Panel O: Trusting the process: How to build trust in open science research
Chair: Prof. Abhilasha Singh (American University in the Emirates)
The role of ORCID in laying the foundation of trust in Digital Research Information
– Nabil Ksibi, ORCID
Open Data: The role of Presentient Identifier (PIDs) in building a trusted and open research infrastructure in MENA
– Mohamad Mostafa, Datacite
The Research Nexus: A rich and reusable open network of relationships of the scholarly record.
