Dr. Mayank Joshipura (Associate Dean-Research, SBM, SVKM’s NMIMS,) and Dr. Jayakumar Singh Bondili (Dean, SDSoS, SVKM’s NMIMS) participated in the capacity building workshop conducted by Virje University (VU), Amsterdam, Netherlands from 17^th to 21^st June, 2024. The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Marjolein Zweekhorst (Professor, Faculty of Science, Athena Institute, VU) and Dr. Sarju Sing Rai (Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science, Athena Institute, VU).

The capacity building workshop 2 (CBW2) focused on “Public Engagement via Science Shop and Community Service Learning" was organized as a part of the OPEN-ASIA project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The participating organizations included SVKM’s NMIMS (India), University of Malaya (Malaysia), University Malaysia Sabah (Malaysia), University Malaysia Sarawak (Malaysia), International School for Social and Business Studies (Slovenia) and institutions from Botswana and Zambia from OSCAR 2.0 project.

The five-day workshop focused on major theme of enhancing public engagement in science including science shops, community service learning, citizen science and knowledge equity. The quality of discussions was enhanced by participation of African institutions under OSCAR 2.0 institutions as it helped understand the open science initiatives and progress in Africa.

1^st day kick-started by welcome address by Dr. Jacqueline Broerse (Drector, Athena Institute, VU) and Dr. Marjolein Zweekhorst followed by brief presentations from participating institutions. Dr. Joshipura made presentation on NMIMS University and highlighted the University’s contributions toward open science focusing on WeCare (Community Service Learning), Ground water recharge project in Shirpur (Shirpur Pattern), open science knowledge shared by NMIMS in form of downloadable books and open access journal. The 2^nd half focused on the Science Shop presentation by VU and workshop on science shop to build institutional vision and implementation of science shop at participating institutions.

2nd day started with presentation on Science Shop by VU followed by presentations from participating institutions and to learn from best practices from other institutions. The 2nd half included presentations from European Universities on International learning lab, sharing their experiences on public engagement through community service learning including. Karsten Altenschmidt,(UNIKTIV, Germany),  Geertje Tijsma (VU, Netherlands), Nataša Matulayová (UPOL, Czech Republic), Avril Lombardi Bolaño & Janaina de Oliveir (URV, Spain).

3^rd day focused on role of libraries in open science with presentation by VU library and the 2^nd half the participants visited public library to participate in “Science with Society Festival” fousing on conversations between citizens, students, scientists, community partners and policy makers. Dr. Joshipura participated in “energy transition’ whereas Dr. Bondili participated in “mental health” conversations.

4th day was dedicated to Knowledge Equity Symposium with presentations by experts and series of panel discussion on Knowledge Equity in Education and research. It started with informal welcome by Marjolein Zweekhorst and Sander Bosch followed by formal welcome speech by Miranda van Holland (VU). Dr. Cees Hamelink, Professor Emirates (VU) delivered keynote address on Knowledge equity. Dr Pius Mosima (Cameroon) , Sandra Hasanefendic (VU), Natasa Matulayova (Czechia), Dr Clement Dr Niyerenda (South Africa) shared their experiences on  knowledge equity and research followed by short presentations by Victor de Boer (VU), Amrita Das (VU), Michele Meijer (VU), Prof Maurice Crul (VU). Dr. Masood (Leeds) presented Knowledge Equity network followed by panel discussion on Role of Libraries in Koowledge Equity including Hilde van Wijngaarden (VU), Masud Kokhar (Leeds), Shirlene Neerputh (UWC) as panellists.   Dr. Bondili participated as a panelist one of the panel discussions on Knowledge Equity along with participants from three other participants from OSCAR 2.0 and Open Asia project institutions.

5^th day started with institutional science shop plans. Dr. Joshipura and Dr. Bondili presented plan to build upon Wecare (community service engagement) and make it interdisciplinary, focusing on transdisciplinary approach to research focusing on transdisciplinary research units/clusters focusing on issues facing business, society and environment. The 2^nd half was about students’ poster presentations on science shop projects.

Beside the workshop, VU arranged for a forest walk (17^th evening), boat city tour (19^th evening) and interactive play at public library (20^th afternoon) which offered networking opportunity and informal interactions.

Overall, the five-day workshop focused on open engagement of social actors through initiatives such as science shops, community service learning, knowledge equity and role of libraries. We established connections with participating institutions from Open Asia, OSCAR 2.0 and speakers from European region. These connections will help us setting up data management plan and data repository, exchanging best practices in community service learning and open science, offering interdisciplinary course linked to community service learning with the help of VU in select schools such as School of Science, attracting international Ph.D. students and fostering research collaborations. Dr. Mayank Joshipura and Dr. Jayakumar have already joined Knowledge Equity Network in their individual capacity and identifying research units for cluster-based research and incorporating data management plan for faculty and doctoral scholars is initiated and it is included in University Ethics code as well as Ph.D. programme course work in subject titled “Research and Publication Ethics”.

Project No. 101128493

The NMIMS Open Asia Administrative team comprising of Ms. Meena Saxena – Director & Ms. Shweta Patil Manager, both from Department of International Linkages and Mr. Dhyey Doshi -Dy Finance Manager recently participated in the EU Second Consortium Meeting of the "Open ASIA: Boosting Engagement of HEIs in Open Science in India and Malaysia" .The Project meeting was hosted by Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 21^st & 22^nd October. Duration of the project –January 2024 – January 2027.

25+ Participants from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), Tampere University, International School for Social and Business Studies (ISSBS), European Policy Development and Research Institute (EPDRI), Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, NMIMS, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak & Universiti Malaysia Sabah participated in the project meeting.

Day 1: Monday, 21 October 2024

The first day focused on reviewing the progress of the Open ASIA project, along with updates from the involved organizations. Key discussions covered:

• Project Management: Ms. Meena Saxena who leads this package (WP1) provided an overview of WP related to the Project website, Institutional websites and  Project brand book.
• Open Science Curriculum: Examination of both formal and informal curriculum developments discussion was led by Dr. Nada Trunk and Dr. Valerij Dermol, Professor at ISSBS. Discussions focussed on credit bearing & certificate courses timelines, course content, no of credits, challenges of introducing the formal courses by fall 2025 and more.
• Regulatory Framework: Dr. Maninder Singh Professor and Dean of Academic affairs Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology provided Insight into the evolving regulations that will support Open Science in participating regions. Each of the partner countries shared the challenges in their respective countries
• Communication and Dissemination Strategy: Professor Shaliza Ibrahim Universiti Malaya (UM) Associate Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) led the discussion on current efforts by the partners to increase visibility and engagement with Open Science initiatives. Ms Meena Saxena shared the efforts made by NMIMS towards promoting the project nationally and within the university. Dr. Olesea clearly spelt out the expectations from the partners.

Day 2: Tuesday, 22 October 2024

The second day Project Co- Coordinator Dr. Olesea Sirbu addressed the project’s financial and quality metrics, ensuring strong outcomes and sustainable impact. Key topics included:

• Financial Management: Detailed presentation on budgeting and resource allocation.
• Quality Control and Quality Assurance: Measures to maintain high standards in project outputs.
• Exploitation and Multiplier Activities: Strategies to maximize project reach and applicability.
• Sustainability and Impact Maximization: Plans for extending the project’s influence beyond its initial scope to foster long-term benefits for higher education institutions in India and Malaysia.

Dr. Sadlapur, Head Dept. of Library & Information Science virtually presented an overview of the Proposed NMIMS International Conference on Open Science in May 2025 with the objective of getting support from the project partners toward expert speakers and submission of research papers.

Universiti Malaya organised a Cultural Visit to the Museum of Asian Art, located on the main campus. The museum aims to foster an appreciation of Asian art among Malaysia’s diverse communities and houses nearly 7,000 artifacts representing cultures from across Asia, spanning 4,000 years of history. In its 1,500-square-foot gallery space, the museum showcases the artistic, cultural, and intellectual heritage of Asia, including Chinese pottery, Hindu sculptures, textiles from the Malaya archipelago, and sacred masks from the Orang Asli communities.

Additionally, Universiti Malaya organized a Visit to Art Exhibition titled “Visionary Journeys Art Exhibition,” running from 14 October to 14 November 2024. The exhibition, a collaborative effort between the University of Malaya Art Gallery (UMAG), Hear2Art exhibitors, and the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), raises funds to support MAB. The exhibition features various art genres, including vibrant floral scenes, landscapes, abstract works, and intricate bird-themed artworks, some of which were created by visually impaired students.

The meeting marked an important step in fortifying Open Science practices in the region, fostering collaborations that aim for sustained academic and research excellence.

Mumbai, India, March (date), 2024 – SVKM’s NMIMS Deemed-to-be-University hosted a conference on Open Science held under the aegis of the ERASMUS Open Asia-Boosting engagements in higher education institutes in Open Science in India and Malaysia, in collaboration with leading universities from across the world. The consortium meeting for the partner schools took place on March 19 and 20, 2024, followed by the International Conference on Open Science on March 21 and 22, 2024 at NMIMS Mumbai.

The partner universities for the Open Asia ERASMUS Project included Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, India; University of Tampere, Finland; VU Amsterdam University, Netherlands; University of Malaya, University of Malaysia Sabah & University of Malaysia Sarawak- all from Malaysia; International School for Social and Business Studies and European Policy Development & Research Institute both from Slovenia.

Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor of NMIMS was the Convenor of the conference, and Dr. Sharad Mhaiskar, Pro Vice Chancellor of NMIMS, and Dr. Olesea Sirbu, Vice-rector for International Relations at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, served as the Co-Convenors. Meena Saxena, Director, International Linkages NMIMS University, is the ERASMUS Open Asia, Project Coordinator.

Extending a warm welcome to all the dignitaries, Dr. Ramesh Bhat, said, “The Open Science Forum is vital for researchers in tackling the problem of biased journal publications. About 60-70% of research faces hurdles in getting published due to this bias. With this forum, researchers can openly discuss their hypotheses, avoiding wasted time on unproductive topics. These interventions will promote open science and promote a positive shift in research culture. NMIMS is fully committed to embracing the OSF framework to drive forward a culture of open science and innovation.”

The two-day conference saw participants take part in discussions on various aspects of Open Science, including the Open Science experience across various countries, national policy development, community engagement, the significance of artificial intelligence in Open Science, commercial and open-source software, data-sharing, and open-access publishing.

Dr. Man Mohan Sharma, Emeritus Professor of Eminence, Institute of Chemical Technology, was the Chief Guest at the conference. Sharing a unique perspective, Dr. Sharma, said, “In universities, we have what is called spiritual freedom to pursue ideas. Research, contrary to normal belief, is unstructured because you don’t know the result. Open science encourages curiosity-driven research. It’s about trying new things without knowing the outcome. Failures are harbingers of success. If you want to do something original and you have that curiosity, how do you strike at a new idea? That treatment is not going to come without open science.”

Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Advisor, Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Former Secretary of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) emphasised the importance of adopting an open science policy to create a vibrant environment through a vision for India’s Science, Technology and Innovation. He said this approach was crucial to align with the global transition from a closed to an open science world.

In an era marked by unprecedented technological advancements and complex societal challenges, the traditional paradigms of scientific research and knowledge dissemination are rapidly evolving. In India, the Open Science movement, symbolising the principles of transparency, collaboration, and accessibility crucial for addressing the intricate problems facing our world today, has begun to gain traction over the past few years. Open Access journals have proven pivotal in promoting Indian researchers in both, international and national databases, with central repositories boosting accessibility to scholarly publications.

According to Dr. Olesea Sirbu, “International collaboration is essential in advancing scientific research and ensuring its accessibility to all levels of society. This Open Science conference is an opportunity to strengthen ties between institutions and promote a culture of openness and inclusivity to encourage new opportunities for discovery and address global challenges in the field.”

Always at the forefront of emerging trends and innovation, faculty at SVKM’s NMIMS are actively involved in activities that support the implementation of open science, which includes collaborating on projects that align with the principles of open science, publishing in open-access journals, and utilising open-source software for research purposes.

Some faculty members of various schools and disciplines at SVKM’s NMIMS are working on research projects in compliance with the open science policy. For example, Dr. Kapil Juvale from the (SPPSPTM) is working in collaboration with the Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, to develop therapeutics for neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis.

Meanwhile, numerous faculty members at NMIMS publish their research in open-access journals, which enables immediate access to their work without any restrictions. The number of publications from NMIMS faculty in open-access journals has been rising of late.

At NMIMS, efforts are also on to transition from proprietary software to free open-source software. This is being done to support research, data management, and bibliography management. The Open Asia Project promotes Open Science principles among participating institutions, promoting transparency, collaboration, and innovation in scientific research. The conference, titled, ‘Unlocking Knowledge: A Conference on Open Science’, paved the way for a more inclusive and impactful scientific community throughout India by bringing scientists, researchers, and scholars together to explore the progressive potential of Open Science through discussions on project objectives, strategies, and future collaborations.

As part of the ERASMUS Open Asia Project, NMIMS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Tampere, Finland. The signing ceremony, which also marked the end of the event, took place on March 22, 2024, and proved to be a milestone in international academic cooperation.

ERASMUS+ project - OPEN-ASIA: Boosting engagement of HEIs in Open Science in India and Malaysia –Reference No 101128493.

Capacity Building Workshop

 

The OPEN-ASIA project is a collaborative effort aimed at fostering the digital economy and connectivity in India and Malaysia through the advancement of Open Science (OS) principles and values.

Ms. Meena Saxena (Director, International Linkages, SVKM’s NMIMS and OPEN-ASIA project coordinator) and Dr. Kapil Juvale (Asst. Prof., SPPSPTM, SVKM’s NMIMS) participated in the capacity building workshop conducted by Tampere University, Finland between 15^th and 19^th April 2024. The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Jussi Kivistö (Head of the Administrative Studies Unit, Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University) and Kateryna Spurun (Researcher, Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University).

The capacity building workshop 1 (CBW1): "Collaborative, Responsible and Open Science Infrastructure Development" was organized as a part of the OPEN-ASIA project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The participating organizations included SVKM’s NMIMS (India), Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (India), University of Malaya (Malaysia), University Malaysia Sabah (Malaysia), University Malaysia Sarawak (Malaysia), International

School for Social and Business Studies (Slovenia) and European Policy Development and Research Institute (Slovenia).

The five-day workshop organized by Tampere University focused on the creation of an open science (OS) infrastructure at participating institutes in Asia. The sessions conducted on day 1 and day 2 helped the participating institutes understand the implementation of open-science infrastructure in Finland, particularly at Tampere University.  The sessions on day 1 included an introduction to the OS in Europe, OS

coordination in Finland, the role of the Center for Science (CSC) in OS infrastructure and OS at the Research Council of Finland. The day 2 sessions created awareness about the different OS policies, infrastructures and services available nationally in Finland and at Tampere University. Some of the OS infrastructure available included research information systems, open institutional and national repositories, and open-access support funding, among others.

Day 3 of the workshop started with interaction with MARIHE (Erasmus Mundus) students and deliberation on OS infrastructure. This highly interactive session was carried out by creating country-wise groups with MARIHE students to discuss potential OS infrastructure that could be implemented in that country. On day 4 and day 5, every participating institute deliberated on the potential OS infrastructure creation at their institute. In this collaborative workshop, every institute presented the current status of the OS infrastructure and plan for further development. Each participating institute created a plan with a timeline for its implementation while taking learnings from other institutes.  For SVKM's NMIMS, Dr. Kapil presented the institutional plan for the creation of potential OS infrastructures at the institute. This included the creation of a research information system and repository for facilitating data sharing and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and a library of open educational resources to provide unrestricted access to students.

Overall, the capacity-building workshop provided an excellent platform for gathering experiences from leading OS institutes and the ones progressing in its implementation. The five-day workshop ended with the distribution of the certificates by Dr Jussi Kivistö

(Head of Administrative Studies Unit, Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University).