International Open Access Week- Online Program - October 15-16, 2025
October 13, 2025
听Join the International Open Access Week this October. This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥淲ho owns our knowledge?鈥�.
Every October, provides researchers and academics with an opportunity to examine the value of Open Access, build knowledge with colleagues, and adopt Open Access as a standard practice in scholarly communication.听听 With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), Open Access also presents new challenges 鈥� ensuring that openly available research is not only accessible but also used responsibly, without reinforcing biases or enabling misuse of data in AI-driven systems.
See the AUCA鈥檚 program of online events on October 15-16.
听Wednesday, October 15
14.00 - 15.00 (Bishkek time) 听听听听听听
Registration:
Join Dr. Harry Bhadeshia for a seminar on 鈥淣etworking & Open Access,鈥� where he will explore how academics can disseminate their research widely with minimal effort. Learn practical strategies to increase the reach and impact of your work beyond traditional publications and presentations.
听Harry Bhadeshia, AUCA Board of Trustees member, is Professor of Metallurgy at Queen Mary University of London and Emeritus TATA Steel Professor at the University of Cambridge. His work focuses on solid-state phase transformations, and he is deeply committed to advancing materials science education.
听Opening remarks: Timothy O鈥機onnor, AUCA President
Moderator: Christopher Baker, Director of Central Asian Studies Institute, AUCA
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Thursday, October 16
14.00 - 15.00 (Bishkek time)
Registration:
Join Dr. Samantha Smidt for a talk on 鈥淎I and Challenges in Higher Education鈥�
The rapid rise of AI is reshaping Higher Education in profound ways. In this talk, Samantha Smidt will explore both the opportunities and challenges brought about by these changes.听 While AI has tremendous potential to enhance teaching, learning, and research, it also raises critical questions: How can we ensure graduates develop the skills to think critically and act ethically in professional contexts? And how can Higher Education itself evolve to maintain its value in an AI-driven world?
Samantha Smidt, AUCA Board of Trustees member, is Professor of Higher Education and Academic Director of King鈥檚 Academy at King鈥檚 College London. A physicist by background, she has extensive experience in capacity-building for online and distance learning, having worked with universities worldwide, including projects in Central Asia, Russia, and Bangladesh. Her interests focus on program design and supporting academics in adopting holistic approaches to learning design.
Moderator: Anguelina Popova, Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, Technology, AUCA
听Eng-Rus simultaneous translation will be available.
听This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Library, the Research Committee, and the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT).
