Connecting the Opens leadership series

The Connecting the Opens leadership series explores how university leaders across Europe are connecting open science and open education. Based on interviews conducted by SPARC Europe, the series aims to inspire more leaders to connect the opens and support institutions in addressing complex challenges through an integrated open knowledge framework. The series consists of six items: The first item focuses on some of the visions and goals that come from university leaders who already connect the opens. A list of key action points wraps up this item. The second item explores the key drivers that are accelerating the shift toward openness in higher education. We examine the interconnected forces shaping this transition: from accessibility, innovation, and economic considerations to policy mandates and broader societal change. By mapping these drivers, the item aims to support stakeholders in understanding not only why openness is advancing, but how these pressures are reshaping the future role of universities. The third item explores the challenges that arise when turning a vision of openness into practice in higher education environments. It highlights issues such as incentives, commercialisation, ensuring policy coherence, building infrastructure, and developing digital skills. This piece also emphasises that strategic action can help institutions move toward more accessible and socially engaged knowledge systems. The fourth item explores how institutions are turning their vision of openness into concrete strategies to embed it across research and education. It highlights how universities are bringing together open science and open education, aligning governance, incentives and infrastructure, and strengthening collaboration both within institutions and with wider society. It also shows a broader shift from fragmented initiatives to more coordinated, system-wide approaches, where leadership, community engagement and flexible implementation pathways are key to building more connected, participatory and sustainable open knowledge systems. The fifth item explores how evolving policy approaches and incentive structures are helping institutions connect open science and open education within integrated open knowledge frameworks. It highlights emerging strategies for developing context-aware policies, aligning institutional and international frameworks, and creating supportive environments that encourage the creation, sharing, and reuse of knowledge. The item also examines how incentives, recognition systems, and cultural change can foster greater engagement with open practices among researchers, educators and institutions, contributing to more accessible, equitable, and impactful higher education systems. The sixth item explores how senior leaders translate advocacy into strategic action to embed openness as a core institutional value. It highlights how leadership shapes governance, secures budgets for capacity building, and coordinates efforts across libraries, IT, and research support. Finally, it examines how leaders drive cultural change by rewarding open practices in career progression, supporting grassroots communities, and positioning their institutions within global open ecosystems.