KOTA KINABALU (Sabah, Malaysia), 28 Sept 2025 — Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) strengthened its position as a regional research hub by hosting the European Union (EU)-funded OPEN ASIA Consortium Meeting in conjunction with the 4th Open Science Forum, themed “Advancing Open Science Culture in Asia”, on 24–25 September.
The two-day programme, supported through the EU Meeting Grant, was held at the Azman Hashim Gallery and brought together researchers, institutional leaders, and policymakers from Malaysia, India, Finland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.
UMS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof Ir Dr Rosalam Hj Sarbatly, chaired the meeting, which focused on strengthening regional collaboration in Open Science, guided by the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and the CARE principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics).
The first day featured a keynote address by Prof Ir Dr Shaliza Ibrahim on global trends and Asia’s leadership in Open Science, followed by a presentation from UMS Chief Librarian, Zawawi Tiyunin, who introduced the university’s citizen science platform, “U-Science”.
Forum sessions explored topics such as citizen science and local knowledge integration, European perspectives on community science, recognition and incentives for Open Science, and the implementation of Open Access in Asian universities. A symbolic partnership signing ceremony was also officiated by UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Hj Mansor.
The second day focused on institutional capacity building, with Prof Dr Maninder Singh presenting a policy framework for Open Science support, while Prof Dr Valerij Dermol discussed the development of localized training modules for higher education. The final technical session examined the design of FAIR-compliant repositories, emphasizing interoperability, ethics, and sustainable infrastructure.
Delegates and consortium partners also visited UMS facilities, including the hatchery, aquarium, UMS Beach, and Azman Hashim Gallery, showcasing the university’s expertise in marine science, biodiversity, and community engagement.
The meeting concluded with a strong consensus to strengthen Asia’s research ecosystem through ethical, inclusive, and high-impact Open Science practices — positioning UMS as a key catalyst for global collaboration towards a more transparent and sustainable future of knowledge.
