Many UU researchers are engaged in collaborative research around the world. Similarly, researchers from around the world have established projects in UU in effort to improve the world together. Open Science is today widely recognized as playing a crucial role in the continuing global research, especially also around the Covid-19 pandemic. The importance of global collaboration is also reflected in Utrecht University’s Strategic Plan 2025. It therefore goes without saying that the promises of open science go beyond our geographical space. What role is Open Science playing in international collaboration? Are there experiences from researchers and knowledge experts across regions that may be valuable for us in enriching the Open Science journey in UU? How can we implement Open Science so that it benefits not only UU researchers, but researchers and society across the globe?

In this session we will engage the Open Science Community Utrecht with the aim to create more awareness of the opportunities and challenges facing researchers in Africa to engage in Open Science and reflect on how Utrecht University can implement Open Science so that it indeed truly benefits not only UU researchers, but researchers and society across the globe.

The conversations will focus on diverse issues on global Open Science picked up from previous sessions held at Utrecht University, including but not limited to equity of open access, who benefits from open data, implications for local practice, participation in research and research priority setting.  We will talk to Open Science experts and other researchers from several countries in Africa and UU researchers involved in projects in Africa.