The Power of Diverse Voices

As DataCite's Board President, I've seen firsthand the powerful insights that diverse voices bring to our global community of research institutions. Each member of our Board represents unique experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives that help shape our decisions and drive our mission forward. Yet, as we prepare for the 2025 board election, we're also focusing on expanding one dimension of diversity that has been underrepresented: geographic diversity.

Diversity, in all its forms, is essential for a robust and forward-looking board. It enables us to better understand the needs of the global research community we serve, especially as DataCite's reach extends across continents, cultures, and languages. From career stage and gender to ethnic background, we recognize that diversity is multi-faceted. This year, we are actively prioritizing regional representation in our Board composition, which will enable us to amplify voices from every corner of the world.

Global Representation on the DataCite Board 

DataCite's principles guide us in our mission to ensure that our Board reflects a balance of backgrounds, skills, and perspectives—keeping us attuned to the evolving needs of research institutions around the world. This year's election, however, emphasizes the need for regional representation in specific sub-regions, enabling us to meet our strategic goal of creating a truly global board. Our 2025 election process opens six board seats for nominees, including regions that have been previously underrepresented: Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

In our election process, we have implemented a series of steps to ensure that our commitment to diversity is not only stated but practiced. Our Election Committee, guided by the Board and Executive Director, has set a course that includes proactive outreach, transparent nomination, and an equitable voting process for all candidates. We're not just opening nominations to the community but actively recruiting nominees from key regions to guarantee fair representation. 

We're looking for dedicated individuals from all corners of the globe to join DataCite's Board of Directors. If you're passionate about advancing open data and representing your region's voice, please consider nominating yourself and contributing to our vibrant, diverse community.

Call for Nominations

If you are a DataCite Direct Member or DataCite Consortium Lead, we encourage you to either self-nominate or nominate suitable candidates by completing the form below by January 31, 2025. Together, we're building a board that isn't just globally representative but actively inclusive, ensuring that DataCite remains resilient, innovative, and ready to meet the needs of the diverse research institutions we serve.