OpenAIRE has appointed Joeri Both as Chair of its Executive Board and General Assembly, following elections held during the organization’s 16th General Assembly at CERN on September 18–19, 2025. The appointment marks a new phase in OpenAIRE’s strategic direction and governance as it strengthens its role in promoting open science across Europe and beyond.
Joeri Both currently serves as Vice Director of the University Library at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where he oversees research support, research intelligence, and Open Science services. With a PhD in molecular biology and more than a decade of experience in academic libraries, he brings both scientific expertise and operational leadership to the role.
Having served on the OpenAIRE Executive Board over the past year, Both has been closely involved in advancing membership engagement and community collaboration. His leadership will focus on strengthening the organization’s position within the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), building international partnerships, and supporting researchers and institutions in embedding sustainable open science practices.
Joeri Both's appointment also underscores OpenAIRE’s continued emphasis on inclusive and equitable research ecosystems. His vision highlights the importance of improving recognition and reward systems, advancing sustainable publishing models such as Diamond Open Access, and ensuring that diverse research contributions receive appropriate value and visibility.
Under his guidance, OpenAIRE is expected to expand its efforts in developing infrastructures that promote transparency, collaboration, and accountability in research. The organization plans to build on its existing foundations to connect communities, support open data management, and enhance interoperability across scientific networks.
By aligning scientific integrity with global collaboration, OpenAIRE aims to shape the future of open science as a service to humanity—reinforcing its commitment to openness, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability.
Click here to read the original press release.
