Advancing Research Through DataCite's Global Access Fund: Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI)

The Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI) was founded in Tunisia in 1986 and is considered the leading Arab body representing the interests of the library profession and people who rely on libraries and information professionals. It facilitates capacity-building initiatives that enhance knowledge-sharing and collaboration among libraries and information professionals. AFLI is an independent, non-governmental, and not-for-profit organization.

The Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN) is dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among research and educational institutions in the Arab region. Their work supports Open Science initiatives by providing the technological infrastructure necessary for researchers to share and access knowledge effectively.

The "Enhancing Open Science Adoption in the MENA Region" project, supported by the DataCite Global Access Fund (GAF) and led by AFLI in collaboration with ASREN, aims to empower research administrators and academic librarians across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with the skills and knowledge to implement Open Science practices. Through targeted training on Open Science principles, open digital repositories, research data management, persistent identifiers (PIDs), and the FAIR principles, the project seeks to improve research visibility, foster collaboration, and create a sustainable community of practice. By addressing regional challenges and leveraging existing networks, this funded project will enhance the discoverability of MENA research outputs, cultivate a culture of transparency and innovation, and contribute to the global Open Science movement.

The training materials include 21 lessons in Arabic and English (texts, videos, images), and recommended readings serve as supplements to the lessons and are seen as valuable resources for future reference. Two professors from Saudi Arabia and Oman developed the training content that aligns with the course's objectives. This content was revised by the educational coordinator, who closely monitored participants' progress throughout the training period, ensuring that trainees fully understood the concepts and could apply the acquired skills effectively. In addition, the course team provided continuous technical support, responded to inquiries, and assisted participants in overcoming any challenges they encountered, creating an engaging and supportive learning environment. A digital platform (Moodle) was used for sharing documents and resources. The platform made it easy to manage assignments and ensured that participants had quick and reliable access to all necessary information. At the end of each module, trainees were asked to send their opinions concerning the module. Most of the comments revealed trainees' high satisfaction.

The training started in May 2025. Due to the high number of applicants, the event was extended from 20 to over 40 participants from twelve countries in the MENA region (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine, Sudan, Jordan, Morocco, Yemen, Libya), despite initially being planned for trainees working in libraries at Arab universities. By August 2025, most of the trainees had successfully completed the following five modules.

Based on qualitative and quantitative assessments (web-based questionnaires), to help improve all aspects of the training course, the project presented challenges relating to skills, time, and technology. 

• Many trainees lacked the basic experience required for using the Moodle platform. This was mitigated through in-person support using a WhatsApp Group.
• Most of the trainees did not have enough time to complete their assignments and quizzes due to their work commitments. The instructors followed up with them individually and gave them more time to finish the tasks.
• Some trainees had a slow internet connection, making it difficult to participate. The instructors extended the unit timetable to allow them to complete.

During the project, two webinars were conducted to increase awareness of Open Science practices among participants. 

"Researchers' Digital Identifiers" was presented by Professor Amany Elsayed (course educational coordinator), dealing with the topics of scholarly communication and the importance of persistent identifiers for researchers, Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID), Publons Review Platform, ResearchGate, Academic Social Networks, and Google Scholar.

"Library Strategies for Supporting Open Science Amid Digital Transformations: Practices and Enablers" featured Dr. Nabhan Alharrasi, president of AFLI, who gave an introduction to the Oman Research Repository (Shuaa) as a digital repository that collects, preserves, and disseminates Omani research outputs. A second presentation by Mohamad Mostafa, DataCite Community Specialist, dealt with the role of librarians in Open Science, metadata, and PIDs. The third talk by Eng. Raed Al-Zoubi from ASREN focused on how ASREN supports Open Science through their strategy, policies, partnerships, and infrastructure, through the ASREN-DataCite Consortium.

Spreading Open Science

The DataCite Global Access Fund provided key funding and support for advancing capacity building in Open Science in the MENA region. As a result, trainees are presenting the materials to their colleagues and researchers at the university. In particular, Arab academic librarians have started raising awareness of Open Science practices among researchers by organizing events in university libraries. 

Overall, the course equipped trainees with the knowledge required to reinforce Open Science practices and promote the use of digital identifiers in Arab countries. This training provided an opportunity to collaborate with institutions and researchers to increase the free availability of research outputs. 

Post-event evaluation proved that most trainees felt that they could serve as ambassadors for Open Science within their universities. They are beginning to apply newly acquired knowledge, which suggests the outcomes were well-defined and measurable. This was highly reflected in the assignments presented by trainees and the degrees they gained. To motivate trainees, the training materials on the Moodle platform will be available after the course, and the WhatsApp group is still active for sharing knowledge on the topic. Some of the course team and trainees met at the AFLI 36 Conference 2025 in Qatar.

In the future, DataCite and AFLI can work together to help create a sustainable and impactful ecosystem for Open Science across the MENA region. Our joint efforts can focus on increasing awareness and adoption of Open Science practices, open research infrastructure, and persistent identifiers through regular webinars, capacity-building sessions, and in-person workshops among the librarians and repository community in the Arab world.

Additionally, AFLI is currently exploring a pathway to register DataCite DOIs for all their publications—including reports, journal articles, and outputs deposited in the AFLI repository—which will significantly enhance the visibility, accessibility, and global discoverability of their research contributions.

Together, these collaborative steps can strengthen the regional research infrastructure and support a more open and connected scientific community in the Middle East and North Africa.