Programme
Online
9:30-11:00- Parallel Sessions
Panel A
The Rise of Community-Owned and Community-Led Open Science Infrastructures and Publications
Bianca Kramer
Sesame Open Science, Netherlands
Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information
Jerry Sellanga
Invest in Open Infrastructure, Kenya
Infra Finder: A New Tool to Enhance Transparency, Discoverability, and Trust in Open Infrastructure
Danny Kingsley
Deakin University, Australia
The Commercial Cash Cow Trap – Why We Should Redirect Infrastructure Investment Towards ‘Open’.
Panel B
Infrastructure and Solutions Supporting Open Science
Ahmed Moustafa
Crossref, Egypt
The Research Nexus: Metadata and Beyond
Mohamad Mostafa
DataCite, UAE
Boosting MENA Research Visibility with Persistent Identifiers
Aisha Hassan Al-Abdulla
Qatar University, Qatar
Qatar University Institutional Repository: Promoting Open Science in the Arab Region
11:00-11:30- Break
11:30-13:00- Parallel Sessions
Panel C
Strategic Planning: National, Regional and Global Strategic Case Studies
Tahereh Miremadi
Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology , National Research Institute for Science Policy, Iran
The Evaluation of Open Science Policies in Iran
Dr. Monica Granados
Creative Commons, Canada
Openness as a Tool for Achieving the SDGs
Lamis Yahia Mohamed Elkheir
African Reproducibility Network, UAE
Harnessing Open Science for Transformative Impact: AREN’s Multifaceted Approach to Advancing Research Across Africa
Panel D – Arabic
Digital and Human Capacity Building
Nadia Ismaili
Djilali Bounaama University, Algeria
Empowering Institutional Repositories to Become the Main Avenue for Disseminating Academic Grey Literature in Algerian Universities.
Sa’ada Amer AlDhuhli
Royal Hospital, Oman
Strengthening Health Research in Oman: The Role of Open Sources in Enhancing Collaboration and Innovation
Salwan M. Abdulateef
Open Science Community Iraq, Iraq
Advancing Research Infrastructure and Solutions for Supporting Open Science in Iraq
13:00-14:00- Lunch
14:00-15:30- Parallel Session
Panel E – Arabic
Using AI to Advance Engagement with Open Science Policies and Practises in The Arab World
Dr. Rabab Isa Almuqahwi
RCSI Bahrain, Bahrain
Testing and Exploring How the Use of AI Tools and Technology Inventions Could Widen and Facilitate Open Access Arabic Research Collaboration in MENA Higher Education – Bahrain is an Example
Yrjo Lappalainen
Zayed University, UAE
Awakening Institutional Repositories: Improving Metadata and Access with Generative AI
Alya Mohammed Hussein Ahmed Al-Rubai’i
University of Duhok, Iraq
Machine-Aided Translation and Post-Editing: The Need for Open Educational Infrastructure in the Arab World
Panel F
Infrastructure Supporting Scholarly Ecosystems
Sayeed Choudhury and Keith Webster
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh
Ecosystem for Next Generation Infrastructure (ENGIN)
Open a GLAM Lab Five Years Later: a Journey from Doha to a Global Impact
Sanaa Ashour
Qatar University
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance the Peer Review Process
16.00-17.30- Tour of Education City
18:00-19:30- Welcome Reception and Early Registration
Hybrid
8:00-9:15- Coffee and Registration
9:15-09:45- Welcome Ceremony
Welcome Ceremony
Dr. Emily Choynowski
Director of Operations – FORM
Kamran Kardan
Founder of the Knowledge E Foundation
Tan Huism
Executive Director – Qatar National Library, Qatar
09:45-10:30- Keynote
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Hilal A. Lashuel
Research, Development & Innovation Advisor to the Chairperson & Executive Director of RDI at Chairperson’s Office, Qatar Foundation and Professor of Neuroscience (EPFL, Switzerland).
10:30-11:00- Coffee
11:00-11:40- Regional Advancements Roundtable
Dr Emily Choynowski, Director of Operations – FORM
Dr Amr Salama Secretary-General – Association of Arab Universities
Dr Yousef Tourman Manging Director – Arab States Research and Education Network
11:40-12:30- Qatar Leadership Panel
Leadership Panel
Tan Huism
Executive Director – Qatar National Library, Qatar
Dr. Aiman Erbad
Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies – Qatar University, Qatar
Dr. Khalid Fakhro
Chief Research Officer – Sidra Medicine, Qatar
Kamran Kardan
Founder & Chief Executive Officer – Knowledge E, UAE
Rosena Nhlabatsi
Senior Intellectual Property Policy Expert – Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Qatar
12:30-14:00- Lunch and Library Tour
14:00-15:30- Parallel Sessions
Panel G
Overcoming Regional Challenges and Supporting Community Engagement
Thuraya Slimani (Online Presentation)
National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research, Morocco
The Extent of Arab Countries’ Engagement in the Open Science Movement
Nahil Nassar
Forum for Open Science in MENA
Dr. Mohamed Koutheair Khribi
Qatar Assistive Technology Center Mada, Qatar
Panel H
Creating And Disseminating Open Resources
Rebecca Hill
Taylor & Francis, UK
Navigating the Transition to Open Science: Exploring the Impact of Publishing Partnerships
Andrew Popper
IEEE, USA
Driving Technology Innovation in the Middle East through Published Discoveries
Abdulqadir J. Nashwan
Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar
Unlocking Scientific Potential: The Rise of Open Access in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
15.30-16.00- Coffee
16:00-17:30- Parallel Sessions
Panel I
Countering the Commercialisation of Open Science
Kamel Belhamel
DOAJ, Algeria
Strengthening No-Fees Open-Access Publishing in the Arab World
Dr. Mohamed Boufarss
Librifyer, UAE
Breaking the Curse: Can an End to Scopus-Worship Provide an Opportunity to Embrace More Open Access Practices?
Nikesh Narayanan
Zayed University, UAE
Maximising Citation Impact: The Advantages of Hybrid and Green Open Access and Strategic Library Interventions
Panel J
Case Studies from Qatar
Kevin McCormick and Khadija Mahsud
University of Doha for Science and Technology, Qatar
So You Want To Set Up Your Scholarly Communication and Research Division? Lessons Learned by Two Academic Librarians
Sabine Saad
Qatar University, Qatar
Towards Common Publishing Standards for Arabic Humanities and Social Sciences Journals
Dr. Salah Ajjur
Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press, Qatar
Open Access Publishing Role of HBKU Press
17.30-18.00- Tram from QNL to the Museum of Islamic Arts
18.00-19.00- Tour of the Museum of Islamic Arts
19.00-22.00- Gala Dinner at the Museum of Islamic Arts
Hybrid
9:00-9:30- Coffee and Registration
Regional Collaborations
9:30-10:00- Signing Ceremony for new members
10:00-10:15
Report on Advancement of Open Science Activities
10:15-11:00- Keynote
Keynote Speaker
Prof. Cameron Neylon
Professor of Research Communication at the Centre for Culture and Technology at Curtin University
The Power of Words: How do declarations and manifestos make a difference
11:00-11:30- Coffee
11:30-13:00- Parallel Sessions
Panel K
Regional Case Studies
Dr Anna Walek
Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, UAE
Open Science as One of The Pillars of The University’s Strategy in Striving for Accessible and Transparent Results of Scientific Work – The Example Of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
Rani Anand
Khalifa University, UAE
Building Bridges in Open Science: Collaborative Ventures at Khalifa University Library
Sumayya Ansar
University of Calgary, Qatar
Lulu Jalal
University of Calgary, Qatar
Building Human Capacity in Open Science: Overcoming Challenges in Higher Education Institutions
Panel L
Building and Using Institutional Repositories
Dr. Arif Shaon
Qatar National Library, Qatar
A National Research Repository for Qatar: Fostering A Sustainable Ecosystem for Open Research
Shatha Al-Oun
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait
Fidelity Phiri
Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar
Fostering Open Science Through Collaboration: The Case of Hamad Bin Khalifa University Library and Qatar National Library’s Manara – Qatar Research Repository
13.00-14.30- Lunch (and Members Annual General Meeting)
14.30-16.00- Parallel Sessions
Panel M – Arabic
Case Studies from Libraries
Dr. Khaled Al-Halabi
University of Cairo, Egypt
Dr Hadeer Kamel
Al Wasl University, UAE
Familiarity of Library and Information Specialists in Academic Libraries with Open Science Initiatives
Imad Bachir
American University Baghdad, Iraq
Examining the Open Science Activities of Leading Arab University Libraries and their Progress in using Open Access Databases.
Prof Abdallah El Khatib
Qatar University, Qatar
Exploring The Journey of Qatar University’s College of Sharia And Islamic Studies Journal in Open Access Publishing: Challenges and Solutions.
Panel N
Supporting the Arab World’s Journey to Openness
Alwaleed Alkhaja
Qatar National Library, Qatar
The Importance of Open Infrastructures for Open Research in the Arab World and the Role of the Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services
Dr. Nafeesa Abdul Kareem
Gulf Medical University, UAE
Building Open Community Health Data Infrastructure: Leveraging Universities for Open Science in the Arab World
Batool Almarzouq
The Alan Turing Institute, UK
Empowering Open Science Capacity in Arabic-Speaking Countries: The Open Innovation Platform
16.00-16.30- Coffee
16.30-17.30- Libraries Roundtable
Libraries Roundtable
Taking Action: Fostering Research Visibility in the GCC
Moderator: Tatiana Usova
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), Qatar
Milan Vasiljević
Qatar National Library, Qatar
Dr. Batool Almarzouq
Alan Turing Institute, UK and KAIMRC, Saudi Arabia
Ameneiha Itani
United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), UAE
Shatha Al-Oun
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait
17.30-18.00- Closing Ceremony
Closing Ceremony
17.30-17.40
17.40-18.00
18.30-21.30- Visit to Old City, free time for dinner and exploration
21.30- Back to Hotel
In Person
9:30-11:30- Workshops
Workshop
Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja
Qatar National Library
Building an Institutional Repository
Dr. Arif Shaon
Qatar National Library
11:30-12:00- Coffee
12:00-1:00- Workshops
Workshop
Rick Anderson
Birgham Young University, USA
Open Access Publishing Models: An Overview of Strengths and Weaknesses
*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
In Person
9:30-11:30- Workshops
Workshop
Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja
Qatar National Library
Building an Institutional Repository
Dr. Arif Shaon
Qatar National Library
11:30-12:00- Coffee
12:00-1:00- Workshops
Workshop
Rick Anderson
Birgham Young University, USA
Open Access Publishing Models: An Overview of Strengths and Weaknesses
Online
9:30-11:00- Parallel Sessions
Panel A
The Rise of Community-Owned and Community-Led Open Science Infrastructures and Publications
Bianca Kramer
Sesame Open Science, Netherlands
Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information
Jerry Sellanga
Invest in Open Infrastructure, Kenya
Infra Finder: A New Tool to Enhance Transparency, Discoverability, and Trust in Open Infrastructure
Danny Kingsley
Deakin University, Australia
The Commercial Cash Cow Trap – Why We Should Redirect Infrastructure Investment Towards ‘Open’.
Panel B
Infrastructure and Solutions Supporting Open Science
Ahmed Moustafa
Crossref, Egypt
The Research Nexus: Metadata and Beyond
Mohamad Mostafa
DataCite, UAE
Boosting MENA Research Visibility with Persistent Identifiers
Aisha Hassan Al-Abdulla
Qatar University, Qatar
Qatar University Institutional Repository: Promoting Open Science in the Arab Region
11:00-11:30- Break
11:30-13:00- Parallel Sessions
Panel C
Strategic Planning: National, Regional and Global Strategic Case Studies
Tahereh Miremadi
Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology , National Research Institute for Science Policy, Iran
The Evaluation of Open Science Policies in Iran
Dr. Monica Granados
Creative Commons, Canada
Openness as a Tool for Achieving the SDGs
Lamis Yahia Mohamed Elkheir
African Reproducibility Network, UAE
Harnessing Open Science for Transformative Impact: AREN’s Multifaceted Approach to Advancing Research Across Africa
Panel D – Arabic
Digital and Human Capacity Building
Nadia Ismaili
Djilali Bounaama University, Algeria
Empowering Institutional Repositories to Become the Main Avenue for Disseminating Academic Grey Literature in Algerian Universities.
Sa’ada Amer AlDhuhli
Royal Hospital, Oman
Strengthening Health Research in Oman: The Role of Open Sources in Enhancing Collaboration and Innovation
Salwan M. Abdulateef
Open Science Community Iraq, Iraq
Advancing Research Infrastructure and Solutions for Supporting Open Science in Iraq
13:00-14:00- Lunch
14:00-15:30- Parallel Session
Panel E – Arabic
Using AI to Advance Engagement with Open Science Policies and Practises in The Arab World
Dr. Rabab Isa Almuqahwi
RCSI Bahrain, Bahrain
Testing and Exploring How the Use of AI Tools and Technology Inventions Could Widen and Facilitate Open Access Arabic Research Collaboration in MENA Higher Education – Bahrain is an Example
Yrjo Lappalainen
Zayed University, UAE
Awakening Institutional Repositories: Improving Metadata and Access with Generative AI
Alya Mohammed Hussein Ahmed Al-Rubai’i
University of Duhok, Iraq
Machine-Aided Translation and Post-Editing: The Need for Open Educational Infrastructure in the Arab World
Panel F
Infrastructure Supporting Scholarly Ecosystems
Sayeed Choudhury and Keith Webster
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh
Ecosystem for Next Generation Infrastructure (ENGIN)
Open a GLAM Lab Five Years Later: a Journey from Doha to a Global Impact
Sanaa Ashour
Qatar University
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance the Peer Review Process
16.00-17.30- Tour of Education City
18:00-19:30- Welcome Reception and Early Registration
Hybrid
8:00-9:15- Coffee and Registration
9:15-09:45- Welcome Ceremony
Welcome Ceremony
Dr. Emily Choynowski
Director of Operations – FORM
Kamran Kardan
Founder of the Knowledge E Foundation
Tan Huism
Executive Director – Qatar National Library, Qatar
09:45-10:30- Keynote
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Hilal A. Lashuel
Research, Development & Innovation Advisor to the Chairperson & Executive Director of RDI at Chairperson’s Office, Qatar Foundation and Professor of Neuroscience (EPFL, Switzerland).
10:30-11:00- Coffee
11:00-11:40- Regional Advancements Roundtable
Dr Emily Choynowski, Director of Operations – FORM
Dr Amr Salama Secretary-General – Association of Arab Universities
Dr Yousef Tourman Manging Director – Arab States Research and Education Network
11:40-12:30- Qatar Leadership Panel
Leadership Panel
Tan Huism
Executive Director – Qatar National Library, Qatar
Dr. Aiman Erbad
Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies – Qatar University, Qatar
Dr. Khalid Fakhro
Chief Research Officer – Sidra Medicine, Qatar
Kamran Kardan
Founder & Chief Executive Officer – Knowledge E, UAE
Rosena Nhlabatsi
Senior Intellectual Property Policy Expert – Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, Qatar
12:30-14:00- Lunch and Library Tour
14:00-15:30- Parallel Sessions
Panel G
Overcoming Regional Challenges and Supporting Community Engagement
Thuraya Slimani (Online Presentation)
National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research, Morocco
The Extent of Arab Countries’ Engagement in the Open Science Movement
Nahil Nassar
Forum for Open Science in MENA
Dr. Mohamed Koutheair Khribi
Qatar Assistive Technology Center Mada, Qatar
Panel H
Creating And Disseminating Open Resources
Rebecca Hill
Taylor & Francis, UK
Navigating the Transition to Open Science: Exploring the Impact of Publishing Partnerships
Andrew Popper
IEEE, USA
Driving Technology Innovation in the Middle East through Published Discoveries
Abdulqadir J. Nashwan
Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar
Unlocking Scientific Potential: The Rise of Open Access in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
15.30-16.00- Coffee
16:00-17:30- Parallel Sessions
Panel I
Countering the Commercialisation of Open Science
Kamel Belhamel
DOAJ, Algeria
Strengthening No-Fees Open-Access Publishing in the Arab World
Dr. Mohamed Boufarss
Librifyer, UAE
Breaking the Curse: Can an End to Scopus-Worship Provide an Opportunity to Embrace More Open Access Practices?
Nikesh Narayanan
Zayed University, UAE
Maximising Citation Impact: The Advantages of Hybrid and Green Open Access and Strategic Library Interventions
Panel J
Case Studies from Qatar
Kevin McCormick and Khadija Mahsud
University of Doha for Science and Technology, Qatar
So You Want To Set Up Your Scholarly Communication and Research Division? Lessons Learned by Two Academic Librarians
Sabine Saad
Qatar University, Qatar
Towards Common Publishing Standards for Arabic Humanities and Social Sciences Journals
Dr. Salah Ajjur
Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press, Qatar
Open Access Publishing Role of HBKU Press
17.30-18.00- Tram from QNL to the Museum of Islamic Arts
18.00-19.00- Tour of the Museum of Islamic Arts
19.00-22.00- Gala Dinner at the Museum of Islamic Arts
Hybrid
9:00-9:30- Coffee and Registration
Regional Collaborations
9:30-10:00- Signing Ceremony for new members
10:00-10:15
Report on Advancement of Open Science Activities
10:15-11:00- Keynote
Keynote Speaker
Prof. Cameron Neylon
Professor of Research Communication at the Centre for Culture and Technology at Curtin University
The Power of Words: How do declarations and manifestos make a difference
11:00-11:30- Coffee
11:30-13:00- Parallel Sessions
Panel K
Regional Case Studies
Dr Anna Walek
Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, UAE
Open Science as One of The Pillars of The University’s Strategy in Striving for Accessible and Transparent Results of Scientific Work – The Example Of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
Rani Anand
Khalifa University, UAE
Building Bridges in Open Science: Collaborative Ventures at Khalifa University Library
Sumayya Ansar
University of Calgary, Qatar
Lulu Jalal
University of Calgary, Qatar
Building Human Capacity in Open Science: Overcoming Challenges in Higher Education Institutions
Panel L
Building and Using Institutional Repositories
Dr. Arif Shaon
Qatar National Library, Qatar
A National Research Repository for Qatar: Fostering A Sustainable Ecosystem for Open Research
Shatha Al-Oun
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait
Fidelity Phiri
Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar
Fostering Open Science Through Collaboration: The Case of Hamad Bin Khalifa University Library and Qatar National Library’s Manara – Qatar Research Repository
13.00-14.30- Lunch (and Members Annual General Meeting)
14.30-16.00- Parallel Sessions
Panel M – Arabic
Case Studies from Libraries
Dr. Khaled Al-Halabi
University of Cairo, Egypt
Dr Hadeer Kamel
Al Wasl University, UAE
Familiarity of Library and Information Specialists in Academic Libraries with Open Science Initiatives
Imad Bachir
American University Baghdad, Iraq
Examining the Open Science Activities of Leading Arab University Libraries and their Progress in using Open Access Databases.
Prof Abdallah El Khatib
Qatar University, Qatar
Exploring The Journey of Qatar University’s College of Sharia And Islamic Studies Journal in Open Access Publishing: Challenges and Solutions.
Panel N
Supporting the Arab World’s Journey to Openness
Alwaleed Alkhaja
Qatar National Library, Qatar
The Importance of Open Infrastructures for Open Research in the Arab World and the Role of the Global Sustainability Coalition for Open Science Services
Dr. Nafeesa Abdul Kareem
Gulf Medical University, UAE
Building Open Community Health Data Infrastructure: Leveraging Universities for Open Science in the Arab World
Batool Almarzouq
The Alan Turing Institute, UK
Empowering Open Science Capacity in Arabic-Speaking Countries: The Open Innovation Platform
16.00-16.30- Coffee
16.30-17.30- Libraries Roundtable
Libraries Roundtable
Taking Action: Fostering Research Visibility in the GCC
Moderator: Tatiana Usova
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), Qatar
Milan Vasiljević
Qatar National Library, Qatar
Dr. Batool Almarzouq
Alan Turing Institute, UK and KAIMRC, Saudi Arabia
Ameneiha Itani
United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), UAE
Shatha Al-Oun
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait
