This year began by picking up threads from the previous year – themes such as AI in research information systems, open metrics, and the ongoing question of how to balance openness with fairness in research assessment. These early activities set the stage for what became a year of transitions, new projects, and unexpected momentum.
One of the most significant steps was closing the company I had founded and run with two colleagues for some time. Saying goodbye to scidecode was emotional, but ultimately right. It marked the end of a chapter – and opened up space for new ideas, collaborations, and a more flexible way of working.
Several blog posts this spring received a lot of attention, especially the deep dive into Open Access trends from 2015 to 2024. That piece, together with analyses of disciplinary differences and library spending patterns, sparked real discussions in the community and confirmed for me that looking closely at the data still matters.
One project I’m especially happy to be a partner in the project ROR² – Open and Responsible Research × Research on Research. It’s a privilege to support efforts that aim to make research more transparent, trustworthy, and meaningful.
Two talks I gave this year stayed with me – first, a keynote at the 9th Open Science Retreat of the Leibniz Information Centre for Economics on Diamond Open Access. Another keynote contribution given at the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) Conference with the title Who owns, produces, and certifies open knowledge?
Both led to great conversations, and I’m thankful for the opportunities to learn.
2025 was also the year I turned a certificate course I organised for Saarland University on scholarly publishing into two practical guidebooks – one in English (now Open Access), one in German (soon to be). These books are meant to help researchers navigate the shifting world of academic publishing with a bit more clarity and confidence.
But maybe the biggest highlight for me this year was curating and co-organising the online lecture series Open Divide – Critical Studies on Open Access. We hosted eight brilliant speakers in 2025, each bringing their own lens to questions of openness, infrastructure, equity, and power: Rebecca Bryant, Thomas Parisot and Yann Mahé, Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Mikael Laakso, Arend Küster, Sam Moore, Zakayo Kjellström, Joachim Schöpfel, Hélène Prost and Behrooz Ras. In 2026 there will be lectures by Chérifa Boukacem-Zeghmouri and Guillaume Silhol, Kevin Elliot and last but not least Vincent Larivière.
All of these talks are part of a growing conversation we’ll continue in 2026 – and we’re already working on an edited book based on the series. I’m incredibly grateful to all the speakers and my fellow organisers, Joachim Schöpfel and Niels-Oliver Walkowski. This series continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep exploring, writing, connecting – and doing my part to support a scholarly communication system that works better for everyone.