Training for Trust: Advancing Open Research Integrity in MENA
Description:
This interactive, three-hour seminar and workshop will introduce key practices in research integrity and explore its role in advancing open science in the MENA region. Participants will examine global research integrity regulations, their impact on open science policies, and the importance of structured training to address integrity challenges. The workshop will focus on developing institutional integrity frameworks, incorporating Integrity of Scholarly Record (ISR) protection strategies, and applying a virtue-based approach to academic ethics.
The event will equip attendees with the knowledge and practical tools necessary to strengthen MENA institutions’ efforts toward open integrity. As research integrity becomes increasingly vital in shaping open science policies, this workshop will guide participants in developing and implementing robust research integrity strategies that align with global standards. By addressing real-world scenarios and providing practical guidance on integrating tools like Crossref services, the event will help attendees enhance their institutional frameworks and foster a culture of academic ethics, prioritizing integrity from the outset.
What you will learn:
- practical tools necessary to strengthen MENA institutions’ efforts toward open integrity
- how to develop and implement robust research integrity strategies that align with global standards
- how to enhance institutional frameworks and foster a culture of academic ethics, prioritizing integrity from the outset
Through hands-on activities and case study analysis, participants will learn to apply these strategies in their own institutions, reinforcing the integrity of the scholarly record and supporting the region’s transition to a more transparent and ethical research environment. Additionally, attendees will receive a certificate from The Embassy of Good Science, enhancing their professional credentials. This workshop serves as a prerequisite for a potential advanced course that will ultimately certify attendees as research integrity trainers.
Who Should Attend:
This free, online workshop is for researchers, librarians, publishers, faculty/scholars, policymakers, as well as research management administrators interested in developing research integrity within their own work, institutions, or the wider MENA region.
Our Speakers:
Dr. Eleonora Colangelo
Publishing expert and policy analyst with a research background in anthropology, history, and classics. She holds a PhD in Classics and Anthropology from Université Paris Cité and the University of Pisa. Early in her career, she worked as a visiting fellow and research assistant at the École Française d'Athènes, Oxford University, and Fondation Hardt, and taught Ancient History at Université Paris Cité from 2016 to 2019. Currently, Eleonora works at Frontiers, a leading Gold Open Access publisher, where she provides strategic guidance on STI policies to help maintain the company’s leadership in the open science movement. She is a certified research integrity trainer and leads training initiatives across institutions to promote academic ethics. Eleonora also serves on multiple committees focused on advancing research development.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleonora-colangelo2703/
ORCID ID: 0009-0006-5741-1590
Christopher Magor
Christopher Magor is a Japan-based science editor and research integrity trainer. For almost 20 years, he has worked authors who speak English as an additional language prepare their work for international publication and helped Japanese English-language journals refine the quality of their publications. As a technical editor, Christopher has worked with scholars from diverse medical and scientific fields, both in Japan and other countries, and is acutely aware of the distinct challenges these authors face, both linguistically and during the publication process. Christopher is a Crossref Ambassador, a member of the Editorial Committee at the Council of Science Editors, and a member of the Society for Scholarly Publishing.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/csmagor/
ORCID: 0009-0000-7376-8254
Sidney Engelbrecht
Sidney Engelbrecht is a highly experienced research ethics and integrity specialist, currently serving as the Senior Research Compliance Specialist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. His career spans over a decade in research management, particularly in research ethics, integrity, and compliance. Sidney has expertise in various areas, including human and animal research ethics, biosafety, and bioethics. He has provided training and advice to Research Ethics Committees across different institutions, including several universities in Southern Africa. He is recognized internationally, as a co-recipient of the Anderson-Kleinert Diversity Award at the World Conference on Research Integrity in 2024, and has received the Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Research Management Profession from the South African Department of Science and Innovation in 2021. He holds professional accreditation as a Research Management Professional from the International Professional Recognition Council in 2020. His academic background includes degrees in Law, Philosophy, Applied Ethics, and Bioethics, primarily from Stellenbosch University, with additional qualifications in compliance management from the University of Cape Town. He is an accredited Research Integrity Trainer and CrossRef ambassador.
Presentation title: ‘Fostering Trust and Excellence in Science Through Integrity’
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidney-engelbrecht-a81569b9/
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2850-3836
