The project "Peer-to-peer strategy consulting for university management as a tool for establishing a lively open access culture at universities of applied sciences" (P2P.OA.HAW) will enter its second phase in 2025. In this phase, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and the University of Konstanz are once again looking for two universities of applied sciences (UAS) to be part of the pilot project.
Shaping the open access culture together
The organisation of structures, processes and strategies for open access is challenging for many academic institutions. This is all the more true for UAS, many of which have only been developing and expanding their open access activities in recent years and are therefore challenged strategically, structurally and financially in their own way. At the same time, strategic frameworks and organisational structural adjustments for an open access-friendly future require management action at university management level.
The project P2P.OA.HAW pilots the approach of peer-to-peer strategy consulting, which supports university management in formulating and implementing strategic goals in the area of Open Access. The peer-to-peer strategy consulting model of the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung is being tested and reused to support a culture of enabling and recognising open access. The focus lies on the development of individual structures and processes that promote an Open Access-friendly university culture in the long term.
The approach from 2024 will be continued
The UAS participating in the first round of counselling experienced the peer-to-peer strategy consulting as a positive and profitable step. The insights gained will be integrated into the second phase in order to further optimise the consulting processes. The second phase of counselling will start at the beginning of 2025 and will once again offer the opportunity to define the university's own development goals in the area of open access and to find and pursue suitable development paths.
Participation requirements and process
The participating universities follow a structured counselling process over a period of around eight months. They benefit from the support of experienced peers, a customised concept for strategy development and involvement in an exchange of knowledge and experience. The focus is on the exchange with experienced peers as "critical friends": university management of UAS are advised and supported by management of other universities or scientific institutions on an equal footing. The peers are selected from the open-access.network community and other networks in close consultation with the universities.
UAS interested in participating in the second 2025 consultation round are invited to submit their expression of interest. Further information on the application and requirements can be found on the project website: www.hsbi.de/bib/p2p-oa-haw.