EELISA strengthens its open knowledge model: Open Science and Communities Statements adopted at the EELISA Grand Meeting 2026
During the EELISA Grand Meeting 2026 (18–22 May, Madrid), the partner universities of the Alliance adopted two strategic documents—the Open Science Statement and the Joint Statement on EELISA Communities—jointly outlining the vision and instruments for developing an open, collaborative, and impact-oriented European knowledge ecosystem.
The Open Science Statement affirms EELISA’s shared commitment to embedding openness, transparency, and accountability across its research, education, and innovation activities. EELISA identifies Open Science not merely as a set of practices, but as a structural principle underpinning research culture and academic governance. The model is built around four main pillars: open access and responsible data management, skills development, responsible research assessment, and engagement with citizens and stakeholders. The objective is to make scientific knowledge more accessible, trustworthy, and reusable, thereby contributing to a more integrated and resilient European Research Area.
In parallel, the Joint Statement on EELISA Communities recognizes Communities as one of the Alliance’s core structural elements and as a European reference model for the collaborative co-creation of knowledge. Communities bring together students, researchers, technical and administrative staff, and external actors—including businesses, public institutions, and civil society organizations—to address real-world challenges through interdisciplinary and impact-driven approaches.
Within this framework, Communities provide the operational environment in which the principles of Open Science can be effectively put into practice. As highlighted in the Joint Statement, they serve as a privileged space for promoting openness, integrity, and societal engagement in knowledge creation, while strengthening the links between research, education, and innovation.
The simultaneous adoption of the two documents clearly reflects the Alliance’s strategic vision: on the one hand, the Open Science Statement defines shared principles, standards, and objectives; on the other, EELISA Communities represent the primary mechanism for implementing them, fostering transnational collaboration, interdisciplinary integration, and the active participation of stakeholders.
Through this dual initiative, EELISA further consolidates its position as a leading European ecosystem for open, responsible, and public-interest-oriented research, where scientific excellence, openness, and societal impact work together to shape an innovative model of the European university.
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