Regional Open Science Workshop
The regional workshop “Fundamentals of Open Science: Concepts, Principles, and Regional Implementation” was held on 5–6 November 2025 at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt, organized by the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN) in collaboration with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, within the framework of the EUMEDplus Project.
The workshop brought together researchers, academics, librarians, data specialists, IT professionals, and policymakers from across the Arab region, alongside representatives of regional and international organizations. Participating institutions included DataCite, DOAJ, SESAME Synchrotron, UNESCO, the Association of Arab Universities, and several national research and higher education bodies, contributing to a multidisciplinary exchange on Open Science development.
The programme focused on key Open Science components, including global Open Science developments, Open Access publishing models, FAIR data principles, research data management, persistent identifiers, repositories, and supporting digital infrastructures. Sessions combined keynote presentations, technical discussions, and panel dialogues addressing institutional readiness, policy alignment, and national and regional initiatives.
Interactive sessions enabled participants to identify shared challenges, capacity-building priorities, and opportunities for regional cooperation. The workshop also included roadmap discussions outlining initial steps toward coordinated regional action on Open Science under the EUMEDplus framework.
The workshop concluded with a set of outcomes and recommendations highlighting the need for structured Open Science policies, strengthened research infrastructure, enhanced institutional coordination, and continued regional dialogue to support the sustainable adoption of Open Science practices across the Arab region.
