The launch of the Open Science Community in Iraq marks a significant step forward in the realm of Open Science, driven by a desire to bridge the gap between global advancements and local practices. The initiative, inspired by international conferences and personal experiences, aims to address the unique challenges faced by the Iraqi research landscape. The Genesis of the Open Science Community in Iraq The

We want to thank our first sponsors for this year’s Annual Forum for Open Research. We could not achieve our mission to support the advancement of open science in the Arab world without you! Sponsorship allows us to organise the Annual Forum, bringing together key regional stakeholders from libraries, universities, advocacy groups, and government organisations to share solutions and build collaborations. Sponsorship also allows us

We are all familiar with the Budapest Open Access Initiative which offered the initial definition and statement of intent for the open access movement, and has helped guide activities across the world in the intervening decades. Now that it has become an independent organisation, offering guidance and strategic insight to open access advocates everywhere – we are excited and honoured that they have agreed to

Welcome to our newest regional member, the Arab Congress for Open Access. Open Access publishing activities are often the ‘gateway’ to understanding and engaging with open science policies and practises more generally, and in the Arab world, the Arab Congress for Open Access (ACOA) is a key stakeholder in advancing Open Access activities – supporting bibliodiversity and accessibility amongst the region’s research communities via community

We are hugely excited to welcome the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Library as a new Member of FORM, and our first library member. The university library is the heart of an institution’s research processes and practises, providing the policies, the infrastructure, and the support needed to produce and publish high impact research. Therefore, libraries have the power to be the single greatest driver of

The movement for Open Access (OA) continues to grow, making scholarly research more accessible to academics and the public alike. Open Science initiatives, like those led by OAPEN and the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB), are paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable academic publishing landscape. As part of our commitment to fostering open scholarly communication, we interviewed Niels Stern, Managing Director

Although we might be running a little bit later than usual, we are now ready to announce our Call for Papers for the 4th Annual Forum for Open Research! This year’s Annual Forum will take place in the UAE, in partnership with the American University of Sharjah, in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE, from 20th-23rd of October. (Learn more about our Host Partner here) We are really

Regional cooperation lies at the heart of what we do at FORM – bringing together diverse communities, supporting the exchange of ideas, and encouraging the development of new partnerships. That is why we are particularly thrilled to welcome the Arab Council for the Social Sciences into our community as our newest member. The Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) is a regional, independent, non-profit

We are thrilled and honoured to officially announce that our Host Partner for the 4th Annual Forum for Open Research will be the American University of Sharjah (AUS), of the UAE. The event will take place from the 20th-23rd of October in Sharjah, at the gorgeous conference facilities at AUS. About our Host Partner American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His

Collaboration is an integral part of what we do at FORM; forging ties with new partners and building cross-community relationships is vital to ensuring the successful advancement of open science within the Arab region and across the globe. These connections are increasingly important in an era when misinformation, predatory practices and fake science are pervading and contaminating the scholarly communications ecosystem. That is why we