Multi-stakeholder Roundtable on Citizen Science Policy and Practices in India

Multi-stakeholder Roundtable on Citizen Science Policy and Practices in India

DST-CPR-IISc

Multi-stakeholder Roundtable on Citizen Science Policy and Practices in India

Date: 10th May, 2022    |   Time 16.00 hrs – 18.00 hrs (IST)
Abstract

The objective of this roundtable was to discuss the current potential and challenges of Citizen Science in India and chart out the possible way-ahead including the creation of a citizen science network or a common platform in the country.  Various policy interventions in operating the citizen science projects in India were also discussed with experts from leading citizen science projects in the country, representatives of the young science academy, government agencies and the Global Citizen Science Partnership.

Concept note

Concept Note

Video

DST – CPR, IISc Policy Lecture Series – Science, Technology & Innovation Policies for Development in India

DST – CPR, IISc Policy Lecture Series – Science, Technology & Innovation Policies for Development in India

DST-CPR-IISc Policy Lecture Series

Lecture 4

Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Development in India:

Some Reflections on Post-Independence Era
Date: 8th March 2022    |   Time 11.00 hrs (IST)
Abstract

The talk on science, technology and innovation policies (STIP) for development will be a critical reflection on exploring some key trends in a socio-historical perspective. Four different phases and trends, which are not exclusive but envelop with each other, are traced between 1947 and the contemporary period. Science and technology (S&T) policy in the formative years left a distinct Nehruvian imprint in the post-colonial and post-independent India. With a huge population, India is not dependent on food on outside countries since the 1960s. Green and White Revolutions have made immense contribution to develop scientific and technical capacities in agriculture security and related fields of research. India’s innovation system, including higher education, has given her some comparative advantage through ‘human capital’ in information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, space research and so on.

However, in export promotion and economic competitiveness in technology-based industries, we lag behind East Asian ‘Dragons’. India’s informal sector coupled with 650 plus industrial clusters poses a formidable challenge in skills and technological up gradation with more than 95% of India’s labour force. When we begin to assess our national innovation system, one feature that stands out to research observers is few islands of excellence, some promising S&T landscapes but vast ‘hinterlands’ of underdeveloped research arenas. Despite successive higher educational policies, India is yet to achieve what is known as the ‘Humboltdian goal’. There is clearly a gap between theory and practice of science policy in India. Our gross expenditure on research and development as a proportion of gross domestic product remained relatively stagnant in the last couple of decades and, in fact, receded from 0.8% in the 1990s to 0.7% in 2020. At 75, when a country introspects and looks back, it certainly needs some benchmarks, perspectives and strategies. Some attention will be given to these STIP issues confronting us.

 

About the Speaker

 

Venni V Krishna

Professorial Fellow, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia,

Editor-in-Chief, Science, Technology and Society (Sage)

Venni V. Krishna is currently Professorial Fellow, School of Humanities and Languages at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. He has been elected as the Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Australia in December 2019. He was Professor in Science Policy and Chair, Centre for Studies in Science Policy, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi for more than 20 years. He held faculty positions at the National University of Singapore; McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Maison des Science De l Homme, Paris; United Nations University, Japan; Western Sydney University, Sydney and Tsinghua University, Beijing.

Over the years, he published over 40 papers and five books which include: Science, Technology and Diffusion of Knowledge: Innovation Systems in Asia-Pacific (Edward Elgar 2007); Scientific Communities in the Developing Countries, (Sage 1997). His latest book is on Chinese Universities in the National Innovation Systems (2021) co-authored with three Chinese scholars. Earlier to that he published, Universities in the National Innovation Systems: Experiences from Asia Pacific (Routledge 2017) He is Editor-in-Chief of a ranked international journal Science, Technology and Society (Sage). He was member of various expert committees and been consultant at UNESCO, OECD, ILO and other international agencies. He contributed to World Science Report 1998 and UNESCO Science Report 2005, and to the ILO in 2001 for its programme on the informal sector. He served as expert on European Research Council’s Grand Challenges and European Union, Brussels, based networks on research and innovation policies since the 1990s.

Click here to join the lecture on 8th March at 11:00 am

Rare diseases in Public Health: An Indian Context

Rare diseases in Public Health: An Indian Context
DST-CPR-IISc in partnership with Ashoka University invites you to

Rare Diseases in Public Health

An Indian Context

Session I: Equity in the representation of Rare Diseases in Public Health agenda

February 19, 2022 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (IST)  
Click here to Register for this session

Session II: Strengthening the Rare Disease Registry in India

February 20, 2022 | 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (IST)
Click here to Register for this session

Session I: Equity in the representation of Rare Diseases in Public Health agenda

This International Rare Diseases Day 2022, we take a critical look at the representation of rare diseases (RDs) in the health agenda and policy of the country and seek answers to the following questions:. Do RDs receive equal representation with common diseases in the country’s health agenda and policies in the public and private sectors? How can we ensure equity in the representation of RDs in public health programmes and in health systems delivery? How do we ensure equity in the representation of RDs in the private sector? We invite an expert panel to deliberate over this critical matter to ensure equity of RDs in public health in the Indian context.

Keynote Address

Dr. Jyotsna Dhawan

CEO, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance

Welcome Address

Prof. L.S. Shashidhara 

Professor and Dean of Research, Ashoka University

Panelists

Dr. Arjun Singh

National Advisor, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)

Dr. Ratna Devi

Chair of The Board of International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO)

Dr. Narendra Chirmule

CEO, Symphony Tech Biologics, and former Head of R&D Biocon

Dr. Prashanth Srinivas

Assistant Director (Research), Health Equity cluster lead, Institute of Public Health

Moderators

Dr. Mohua C. Choudhury

DST-STI Policy Fellow
DST-CPR-IISc Bengaluru

Dr. Pragya Chaube

Senior Project Associate
DST-CPR-IISc Bengaluru

Session II: Strengthening the Rare Disease Registry in India

This International Rare Diseases month 2022, we take a comprehensive look at the rare diseases registry mechanism in India and examine greater ways and means to strengthen it in the health policy agenda of the country. We invite an expert panel from India and overseas to deliberate on the strengthening of the rare disease registry in India. What is the present status of the National Registry for Rare Diseases? What could be the potential ways and means to strengthen it? Learning from experiences of APEC and exploring the possibilities of adopting similar strategies in the Indian context.

Keynote Address

Dr. V. M. Katoch

Former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research

Welcome Address

Dr. Akhilesh Gupta

Senior Adviser/Scientist-H, Head of Policy Coordination & Programme Management (PCPM) Division, Department of Science & Technology (DST)

Panelists

Prof. Matthew Bellgard

Director of eResearch, Division of Research, Queensland University of Technology

Prof. Alok Bhattacharya

Professor & Head of the Biology Department, Ashoka University

Dr. Deepa Bhat

Genetic Counselor and Associate Professor, JSS Medical College

Dr. Reeta Rasaily

Former Scientist ‘G’ ICMR and Programme Officer for Rare Disease Registry

Dr. Sudha Bhattacharya

INSA Senior Scientist, Ashoka University

Moderators

Dr. Mohua C. Choudhury

DST-STI Policy Fellow
DST-CPR-IISc Bengaluru

Dr. Anjali Taneja

Associate Director
Science Policy Initiative
Office of Research & Development
Ashoka University

Event Organizers

Core Team

Dr. Mohua Chakraborty Choudhury (DST-CPR-IISc)

Dr. Anjali Taneja (Ashoka University)

Dr. Pragya Chaube (DST-CPR-IISc)

Supporting Team

Dr. Moumita Koley (DST-CPR-IISc)

Mr. Saikat Batabyal (DST-CPR-IISc)

Ms. Sowmya Narsipur (DST-CPR-IISc)

DST – CPR, IISc Policy Lecture Series-Challenges and opportunities in research education and training

DST – CPR, IISc Policy Lecture Series-Challenges and opportunities in research education and training

DST-CPR-IISc Policy Lecture Series

Lecture 3

Challenges and opportunities in research education and training:

From governmental policies to individual commitments to a focus on sustainable development goals including social justice

Date: 15th February, 2022    |   Time 4:00 PM – 5:30PM (IST)
Abstract

This talk will provide the context to the experience of policy scholars by presenting macro- and micro-level changes in doctoral education and postdoctoral training worldwide. For 25 years, globalization and an increasing size of a middle-class in many countries around the world, have moved governmental attention to doctoral education and research for innovation. Governments, hereby, followed the economic model that views knowledge as a critical national resource for economic growth, innovation, and international competitiveness.The predominant models of research education reforms used by governments were monetary incentives often in forms of direct funding to universities for desired outcomes and competitive funding schemes for doctoral and postdoctoral programs with specified characteristics. The positive and negative consequences will be illustrated.

The way forward encourages the policy scholars to not only to work hard, but to develop and internalize a sustainability mindset and use the space and time now to question the status quo, to examine the reproduction of inequality, and to become aware and prepare for their future ethical leadership.

About the Speaker

 

Prof. Maresi Nerad

Professor for Higher Education at the University of Washington,

Visiting Professor at DST-CPR, IISc.

Prof. Maresi Nerad is the founding director of the Center for Innovation and Research in Graduate Education, Professor for Higher Education at the University of Washington and a Visiting Professor at the DST Centre for Policy Research at IISc, Bengaluru. Her work focuses on a broad range of issues in doctoral education and in early research careers worldwide. She has undertaken evaluation research for flagship interdisciplinary doctoral programs in the U.S., Germany and for the European Commission. She has written and edited 5 books and published numerous articles on doctoral education. 

For more details on her work, click here.

Click here to join the lecture on 15th February, 4:00PM

Feminist Perspectives on Science & Science Policy

Feminist Perspectives on Science & Science Policy
Abstract

Science and gender equality are both vital for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite institutional and cultural shifts for bringing more women in STEM education and related careers, we are witnessing gender gaps across all levels of STEM education, in science-related careers as well as at leadership positions. How do we leverage the untapped potential of women trained in STEM?

On the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the DST-Centre for Policy Research at IISc. is partnering with UNESCO, New Delhi to reinvigorate the significance of feminist science, in theory and practice. This panel discussion aims to bring diverse perspectives and different voices for deliberating on feminist approach to science and science policy and exploring the need for dialogue among stakeholders supporting feminist perspectives in Science, Technology & Innovation (STI). We will examine how Feminist Perspectives can provide an alternative to dominant thinking and accounts in Gender and STI. Furthermore, the discussion will aim to suggest the way forward for constructive engagements with Philosophies of Feminist science and science policy which are relevant to the Indian context.

This discussion will be a great learning opportunity for students, early career researchers and policy practitioners who work on gender equity and inclusion in STI.

Panellists

Prof. Banu Subramaniam

Professor, Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

Prof. Gita Chadha

Faculty Member, Sociology Department, University of Mumbai, India

Dr. Asha Achuthan

Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India 

Moderators

Dr. Nimita Pandey

STI Postdoctoral Policy Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc)

Dr. Debanjana Dey

STI Postdoctoral Policy Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc)

Organizers

Dr. Nimita Pandey

Ms. Sowmya Narsipur

Coordinator

Prof. T A Abinandanan

Additional Resources

(1) Click here to read the UNESCO article summarizing this event 
(2) Prof. Gita Chadha’s presentation:

(3) Recording of this event:

Workshop on Qualitative Research Methodologies

Workshop on Qualitative Research Methodologies

Workshop on Qualitative Research Methodologies

20-21 January 2022 at 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm (IST)

This two-day workshop was conducted virtually as part of capacity building for the DST-CPR community to help them hone their qualitative research skills. 

About the speaker:

Ajit Mani, a certified Management Consultant and an alumnus of IIM Bangalore specializing in Agriculture and Rural Development Management, has built a broad range of professional experience working with NGOs and Government Agencies in India and abroad. His work focusses mainly on rural India and the unorganized urban sector. He has worked on various assignments in education, poverty, forest management, financial inclusion, sustainable urban development, among others.

He uses his expertise in research methodology and project management to provide policy training in both academia and industry. He has served as adjunct faculty for Kalinga School of Rural Management, Bhubaneshwar and has many years’ experience in designing courses and delivering public policy lectures. During this two-day workshop, he will be drawing from his own work experiences and using case-studies to cover topics in qualitative research methodologies to aid public policy research.

Group photo

Young Scientists Learning Open Science

Young Scientists Learning Open Science

Young Scientists Learning Open Science

25 November 2021 at  3.30 pm to 5.30 pm (IST)
Abstract

DST-CPR-IISc is happy to invite you for a digital conversation on “Young Scientists Learning Open Science”. This event is jointly organised by the Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), DST Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, the UNESCO Chair in Community-Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education, and DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance to discuss the implications of the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers, the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, Science with & for society, and the Government of India’s STI Policy, with the special focus on:

1. Responsible Research and Innovation

2. Public engagement

3. Science communication

4. Inclusion of multiple epistemologies and experiential knowledge in scientific research

5. Ethical issues in open source publications, field research and Indigenous protocols

The pandemic for the past two years has brought the roles of science, scientists, and scientific research institutions into public debate. It has created a context where connections between science and society are needed to be anchored on a new framework of openness and mutuality.

As the policy brief of Open Science Beyond Open Access observes “There are three main dimensions of scientific openness: openness to publications and data, openness to society, and openness to excluded knowledge and epistemologies.” The final draft of the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation, which also incorporates these expanded meanings of ‘open science’, has now been adopted by the Member States this month in Paris. Similar ideas are adopted in the final draft of the 5th National Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Policy of the Government of India. The Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) policy of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, already makes mention of the need for engaging with diverse stakeholders to improve the impacts of science on society.

Likewise, the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers adopted in 2017 has particular value today, especially in the Global South, in recognising the role of science in promoting “common good” and in emphasising the use of results of scientific research and development with a spirit of responsibility towards humankind and the environment.

Such testimonials create a space for science and technology systems and institutions to change and become more “open”. New conversations among scientists, science communicators, scientific researchers and civil society have begun to emerge as the need for a robust ecosystem to make science work with and for society is becoming more apparent. The experiences of the pandemic have also generated more significant public discourse about the accountability of science to society. In many regions of the world, new ways of promoting public engagement with and for science have been practised through an enabling policy framework. The European Union’s focus on Responsible Research & Innovations (RRI) has integrated several such features. There is now a growing recognition to synergise knowledge production and dissemination on such critical issues as the environment, health and food systems. A large portion of which is being carried out on the ground by a host of civil society actors in the country through community-based participatory research  with the partnerships of academics with local communities.

Event Details

Date: 25 November 2021

Time: 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm (IST)

Meeting link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RZt26NOxT5ubKz2dASotww

Relevance of Philosophy of Science for Science Policy

Relevance of Philosophy of Science for Science Policy

 

Relevance of Philosophy of Science for Science Policy

24th November, 2021  at  4:00 PM to 6:00 PM IST
Abstract

 Science policy depends crucially on what we mean and understand by science. Science and Technology Studies (STS) today is a much professionalised discipline drawing upon other fields such as history of science, philosophy of science and sociology of science. STS offers a deeper understanding of the nature of science and technology, its relation to society and politics, the uniqueness of its social processes and so on. All of this matters deeply to science policy. In this talk, he will be discussing the insights we can take from a philosophy of science approach to the nature of science and the implications of it for science policy, especially for a country like ours. 

About the Speaker

Prof. Sundar Sarukkai

Works primarily in the philosophy of the natural and the social sciences. He is the founder of Barefoot Philosophers (www.barefootphilosophers.org) and is currently a Visiting Faculty at the Centre for Society and Policy, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. He is the author of the following books: Translating the World: Science and Language, Philosophy of Symmetry, Indian Philosophy and Philosophy of Science, What is Science?, JRD Tata and the Ethics of Philanthropy, Philosophy for Children, and two books co-authored with Gopal Guru – The Cracked Mirror: An Indian Debate on Experience and Theory and Experience, Caste and the Everyday Social. He is the Co-Chief Editor of the Springer Handbook of Logical Thought in India as well as the Series Editor for the Science and Technology Studies Series, Routledge.
Event Details
Date: 24th November, 2021 
Time: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (IST)
Location: Seminar Hall, Centre for Society and Policy (CSP), IISc

Certificate Programme Participatory Science Advice for Policy Making

Certificate Programme Participatory Science Advice for Policy Making

 

Certificate Programme: ‘Participatory Science Advice for Policy Making’

On 11th & 14th December 2021,  Time 10:00 AM to 01:00 PM IST  
Abstract

The Department of Science and Technology’s Centre for Policy Research (DST-CPR) at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in conjunction with the Science Policy Forum and Global Young Academy is organising a virtual two-day certificate program titled “Participatory Science Advice for Policy Making” funded under the INGSA-Asia Grassroots Science Advice Promotion Awards 2021. STEM Scientists and academicians from South Asia will learn about the role of Science Advice in national policymaking through the example of India’s new Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP).

Workshop description

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore our dependence on scientific research and technological innovation to develop quick and effective solutions. The timely need for vaccines is reflected in other global issues which have ticking clocks. The call for climate action is another such example that this month’s COP26 shone a light on. While each global issue requires unique scientific and technological developments they are undoubtedly aided by a structured plan of action. This is where the need for a well-oiled evidence-driven science-policy mechanism backed by robust scientific advice steps in. 

A sustainable recovery path requires scientists to play a significant role in educating policymakers and the public. Only through evidence-based research and its communication can comprehensive and effective policies be formulated. Therefore, bridging the gap that exists between these two parties is essential.

1. The policymakers who make key decisions on funding patterns and allocation of resources.

2. The researchers and academicians who work at the grassroots of the STI ecosystem.

We know the first one well. The second is what this workshop aims to empower.

Through open conversations on science policy and the tools of advocacy, workshop attendees will be equipped to contribute to the larger government science advice mechanism.  

The workshop will focus on how it was grassroots science advice that played an integral role in formulating two chapters of the STIP, ‘Open Science’ and ‘Science Communication and Public Engagement’. Through lectures, open conversations with experts and practical activities, attendees will understand the value of Science Advice for STEM stakeholders (scientists, researchers and academicians) in promoting effective policy change. Attendees will also be equipped with the various tools required to develop the skills needed to create evidence-based policy changes. Attendees would test their newfound knowledge through a concluding policy memo contest where the most effective memo would be awarded. Finally, the workshop would create a network of empowered young scientists and academicians to drive the science advice mechanism from the grassroots up. 

Organising Team

Dr. Jenice Jean GoveasDr. Moumita Koley (Recipients of INGSA- Asia grant for the promotion of grassroots Science Advice and Postdoctoral Fellows, DST-CPR, IISc)

Dr. Karishma Kaushik (Global Young Academy- Science Diplomacy in South Asia Working group Project Leader)

Dr. Chagun Basha (Founder, Science Policy Forum)

Aishwarya Viswamitra (Intern)

Event Details
From: 04/12/2021 10:00 am (IST)
To: 11/12/2021 1:00 pm (IST)
Location: Online
Registration Deadline
24/11/2021
Registration

International Open Access Week-2021

International Open Access Week-2021

Update: Here’s the the YouTube playlist of this event’s videos.

DST-Centre for Policy Research (CPR), Centre for Society and Policy, Indian Institute of Science and J.R.D. Tata Memorial Library, Indian Institute of Science, invite you to the (online) event to observe and celebrate the International Open Access Week 2021; the session will feature three lectures; see below for details. This year’s OA Week event at IISc is the fifth in a series. It is also special, since it is being held in honour of Prof. Arunachalam, a champion of the open access movement in India, who turned 80 in September 2021. The event theme is in alignment with this year’s OA Week theme: “It Matters How We Open Knowledge: Building Structural Equity.”

Date: 29 October 2021

Time: 7.30 PM (IST) | 2.00 PM (GMT) | 10 AM (EDT)

Venue: MS Teams (link below)

Click here to join the meeting
Speakers:

Padmanabhan Balaram, Former Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru-On Subbiah Arunachalam’s work on Scientometrics, Open Access Movement

    Heather Joseph, Executive Director, Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)-On Open by Default and Equitable by Design: The Future of the Open Access Movement

Abstract: The Future of the Open Access Movement: The Open Access movement is about to mark its 20th anniversary. At a meeting convened in Budapest by the Open Society Institute in December of 2001, a small but diverse group met to explore ways to accelerate progress in the international effort to make research articles freely available on the internet.  They explored the most effective and affordable strategies for serving the interests of the researchers and the institutions that support research, examined ways to make the transition to open access and economically self-sustaining, and discussed how separate initiatives could best work together to achieve broader success. The result was the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), which offered the first definition of open access. The BOAI is a statement of principle, a statement of strategy, and a statement of commitment. Two decades later, while much progress has been made, significant work remains to be done. This talk will explore the key challenges facing the Open Access movement and propose areas of concentration to ensure that global research enterprise is one that is truly open by default, and equitable by design.

      Leslie Chan, Professor, University of Toronto, Scarborough, Canada- On Opening Sciences from Below

Abstract: Mainstream discourses have tended to frame Open Science as a set of neutral standards, tools, and practices to be followed, often with the objective of pursuing utilitarian or market-driven outcomes. This talk reflects on some of these framings and proposes other ways of conceiving open science, considering both the benefits and the potential harms to communities affected by the research. Drawing lessons from OCSDNet and the Open Science and Decolonization of Knowledge project, I outline an inclusive, open science involving a highly dynamic process of negotiating and challenging power relations within highly situated socio-political contexts and involving actors and institutions, and communities with varying claims for knowledge legitimacy. Science policy-making needs to take these power imbalances into account so as not to perpetuate and exacerbate existing inequities.

About the Speakers:

Padmanabhan Balaram is a renowned Indian scientist and former director of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. He is a recipient of the third highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Bhushan (2014) and the TWAS Prize (1994). Recently, Prof. Balaram has been conferred with R. Bruce Merrifield Award (2021) by the American Peptide Society. He has also been the Editor of Current Science from 1995-2013.

Heather Joseph is a United States-based advocate for open access and particularly academic journal publishing reform. She is the Executive Director of the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) and a member of the PLOS Board of Directors. Under her stewardship, SPARC has become widely recognised as the leading international force for effective open access policies and practices. Among her many achievements, she convened the Alliance for Taxpayer Access and the Open Access Working Group, which provided critical advocacy for establishing the landmark, 2008 NIH Public Access Policy and the 2013 White House Memorandum on Public Access to Federally Funded Research. She is the recipient of the Miles Conrad Award-2021 from NISO (National Information Standards Organization).

Leslie Chan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Development Studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough and the director of the Knowledge Equity Lab. An early practitioner of the Web for scholarly exchange and online learning, Leslie is particularly interested in the role and design of network in the flow of knowledge and their impact on local and international development. As one of the original signatories of the Budapest Open Access Initiative, Leslie has been active in the experimentation and implementation of scholarly communication initiatives of varying scales around the world. Leslie has also been exploring the dynamics of university-community partnership and the meanings around knowledge co-creation, participatory research, and how community engaged modes of knowledge production could contribute to equitable frameworks of valuing diverse knowledges. Since 2000, Leslie has been serving as the director of Bioline International, an open access platform for scientific journals from the global south. He is on the advisory board of several international organizations, including the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the steering committee of Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI).