Graduate Engagement Leads for Open Research at the University of York

Abstract

This poster will provide insight into a variety of exciting culture change activities undertaken by our Graduate Engagement Leads for Open Research.

Last year the Library-based Open Research team recruited three postgraduate researchers to promote engagement within each of our academic faculties (Arts and Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences). This was made possible through an allocation of Research England Enhancing Research Culture funding, and supports the University’s strategic commitments towards developing an open research community of practice across all our disciplines.

The objectives our Engagement Leads have been working towards include:

• Proactive collaboration with Library colleagues, members of our University Strategy and Operations Groups, research staff and students at all levels;
• Coordinating actions, refining guiding principles and driving engagement amongst our burgeoning Open Research Advocates network;
• Developing accessible and thought-provoking open research in practice case studies to use for education and advocacy;
• Addressing requirements for skills training in individual departments and schools based on the results of a University-wide survey;
• Publishing and promoting a new Open Research newsletter, launching an Instagram account and exploring how we can use other communication channels to get our messages across;
• Planning a series of coordinated events and celebratory initiatives including our Open Research Awards scheme at the end of the academic year.

This talk will address each of these in turn, identifying achievements made and challenges encountered over the course of the year. We will use this opportunity to provide personal perspectives from our Engagement Leads on their open research journeys and the work they have been involved with so far.

We hope this will be a useful poster for attendees, offering recommendations for anyone who may be interested in pursuing similar culture change initiatives at their own institutions.