Engaging the Research Community to Drive the Transition to Open Research Information

At the University of Groningen, an important driver of the transition to open research information has been our academic community. Engaging faculty and researchers alongside librarians, policy-makers and research support professionals has proven to be essential for advancing broad organizational buy-in and enabling the shift required to fulfill our commitments to open research information. In this talk, I will discuss the challenges we have encountered in our effort to build broad-based engagement and share some of the key strategies we have employed to overcome them. A significant part of our approach has been to leverage internal interdisciplinary structures such as the Open Science Program, Open Science Community Groningen, Young Academy Groningen, CoARA faculty and staff network, and our Rewards and Recognition committee, among others. Engaging these in the drive to promote the openness of research information has helped foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and nurture a sense of ownership among academic staff. Awareness of the benefits of open research information and the issues driving the transition motivates researchers to support and advocate for it. Their involvement in dialogue and policy-making helps ensure that policies meet their needs and also empowers us to navigate institutional resistance more effectively. The talk will provide attendees with practical insights into enhancing research community engagement, and highlight how this can help enable them in their efforts to implement the Barcelona Declaration. The short session aims to inspire and provide actionable ideas for fostering engagement and commitment to advancing the adoption of open research information.