A closed-door Strategy Session will take place on the 25^th of October before the start of the main Form for Open research in MENA (F.O.R.M.)

This will be a high-level invitation only event, with leaders and senior management from government ministries, regional councils, and other national and regional stakeholders across the Middle East and North Africa.

The purpose of this session is to inaugurate a cross-regional dialogue concerning the development of practical policies and actionable insights for Open Science at an institutional level (both higher education institutions and research libraries).

Our goal is to establish a non-profit membership organisation providing institution-level support via regular community development activities and open resources. The F.O.R.M event is the first milestone in our journey towards this goal.

The programme will include a welcome from Kamran Kardan, CEO and Founder of the Knowledge E Foundation, a brief presentation from Dr. Emily Choynowski regarding the proposed initiative, and a response from Dr. Nazar Hassan of UNESCO. This will be followed by an open discussion between leading regional stakeholders invested in the promotion of Open Science practices and policies in research communities across the region. We will also be inviting expressions of interest to participate in the initiative.