A vibrant morning of sharing and learning

More than 30 researchers and other stakeholders (including consultants and project coordinators) joined the SSH CENTRE’s live, interactive Open Social Science Webinar, diving into how to make SSH research more open, accessible, and impactful. The event sparked conversations around open access, research visibility, and what it really means to move from openness to inclusion.

Insights that stick

In his thought-provoking talk, Thomas Klebel challenged us to rethink Open Science priorities, arguing that inclusion and diversity shouldn’t be afterthoughts but core starting points. He also unpacked how SSH researchers can navigate the tension between qualitative methods and reproducibility.

Lucy Barnes offered crisp, practical tips on open access book publishing—sharing insights on licensing, funding models (Gold, Diamond, and Green), and where to find toolkits for avoiding the biggest myths around OA publishing.

Big thanks to our wonderful guest speakers Thomas Klebel and Lucy Barnes—and to our Open Science advocates Vanessa Proudman (SPARC Europe), Mitja Jermol (IRCAI), and Javiera Atenas (University of Suffolk)—for sharing their experience and energy. And of course, huge thanks to our amazing consortium partners—Rosie, Chris, Julia, Ami, Luciano, Viktor, Marten, Mojca, and many others—for preparing, leading, and supporting the implementation of this webinar.

Participant voices The live chat added depth and energy to the session. At the end of it, Vincent noted that the webinar was “very informative and timely for our ongoing field work among refugee and host communities in Uganda.” George sparked interest in what’s coming next, asking “When will the course be available?” And Anya summed up the mood beautifully: “Thank you so much! It was a very useful workshop. Thank you for sharing comments and experiences.”

What’s next? Turning today into a course

Couldn’t make it or want to revisit the highlights? We’re working on an open, self-led, online course based on today’s webinar recordings, key discussion points, and a rich pool of resources, networks, and projects. Set to launch in Autumn 2025, this online course will provide insights on how to integrate Open Science principles into SSH research.

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