Universiti Malaya (UM) is actively participating in an impactful project aimed at enhancing the digital economy and connectivity between Europe and Asia by boosting engagement of Higher Education Institutions in Open Science in India and Malaysia. The OPEN-ASIA project is a three-year initiative involving collaborative efforts from UM, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and partner institutions in India. Initiated in January 2024, the project received generous funding from the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union to achieve the project deliverables.
Professor Ir. Dr. Shaliza Ibrahim, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UM which also leading the team said that UM plays a crucial role as a project beneficiary and leads two key work packages, namely, Boosting Inclusive, Responsible and Collaborative Open Science Ecosystem and Dissemination, Exploitation and Impact Maximization.
“Under these work packages, UM will coordinate the development of Open Science country profiles for project beneficiaries from both India and Malaysia, as well as a comprehensive dissemination strategy to ensure the project's visibility and impact on international, national, and institutional scales.
“The remaining key deliverables of the project include project management and quality control, strengthening Open Science regulatory framework, advancing Open Science infrastructure and practices, as well as public engagement and participatory mechanisms.
“The project so far has successfully organised its first Consortium Meeting and Open Science Forum (OSF-1) in March earlier this year at NMIMS Mumbai India, and two study visits at Tampere University, Finland and Vrije Universiteit (VU), Netherlands, both held in April and June in the same year,” she said.
As the project progresses, new Open Science courses will be integrated into the formal and informal curriculum for master's and PhD levels, with pilot courses set to begin in the third year. These Open Science courses will be offered in research methodology, microcredential and early career researcher capacity building modules. Additionally, project beneficiaries are expected to develop Open Science infrastructure development plan, University Open Science policies as well as the SCIENCE SHOP 2.0 Regulations and Handbook.
In a world of evolving educational and scientific challenges, the OPEN-ASIA project provides a platform for project beneficiaries to enhance their Open Science principles and culture, through the transformative power of cultural exchange, knowledge, and collaboration between Europe and Asia. Besides promoting Open Science culture in Higher Education Institutions, the outputs from the OPEN-ASIA project are expected to contribute towards revolutionising institutional policies, improve researchers’ competencies, and foster regional cooperation in higher education.