EDUC-WIDE Workshop: Open Science in Focus

On 4 December 2024, the University of Pécs hosted a workshop titled “Open Science: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions” as part of the EDUC-WIDE project. Held at the PTE University Library and Knowledge Centre, the event aimed to empower academics and research professionals to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of open science. Morning sessions were conducted in English, while the afternoon was dedicated to Hungarian discussions, ensuring accessibility for a diverse audience of the EDUC Alliance.

Addressing Current Challenges

The workshop opened with a keynote by Dr Katalin Füzér, EDUC-WIDE project lead at the University of Pécs. The following roundtables and presentations highlighted the potential of open science and artificial intelligence. Key topics included adapting to the challenges posed by AI and the reform of research evaluation practices. A central focus was the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) initiative, which promotes qualitative, holistic evaluation approaches over traditional metrics. Participants explored how these changes could elevate research quality and impact.

Concrete Solutions and Resources

The University of Pécs presented its Open Access Publishing service, which supports authors' open access publishing practices based on two main pillars:

• The first pillar is the national consortium of read and publish agreements, which allow the university to take over the article processing charges (APC) from the authors.
• The second pillar is provided by a contract with the university's maintenance foundation, which also relieves authors from paying APC fees by establishing an institutional open access fund, provided they meet the eligibility criteria for the fund.

A presentation by Masaryk University Press, an EDUC-WIDE partner, emphasised sustainable publishing practices and the importance of international collaboration in maintaining high standards of academic output.

Empowering Researchers through EDUC-WIDE

The EDUC Alliance was presented as a crucial platform for advancing collaboration among European universities. By sharing resources and best practices, the alliance helps researchers adapt to the changing academic landscape. The workshop featured insights from Masaryk University Press, which coordinates over 50 scientific journals and 400 scholarly books annually. This network demonstrates how diverse institutions can come together to strengthen research capacities, ensure quality, and support academics in producing impactful work. EDUC-WIDE’s role as a bridge for knowledge-sharing was celebrated as a key driver of innovation and sustainability in academic publishing.

A Roadmap for the Future

The workshop concluded with a call to action, encouraging academics to embrace the opportunities presented by open science and AI. With frameworks like CoARA and EDUC-WIDE, institutions have the tools to lead innovation in research practices.

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Dávid Molnár