Last Thursday marked our very first Global Campus User’s Day, and we’re still feeling the energy of this inspiring event!
The day began under a clear, blue sky: a perfect sign of things to come. After a warm coffee and some lively morning chats, the programme opened with Paul’s welcome address, where he reflected on the evolution of Global Campus and outlined the exciting day ahead.
Next, Bianca Kramer took the stage to emphasize how open access publications and well-structured metadata play a crucial role in building a more transparent and fair research ecosystem. Her reflections on how the Barcelona Declaration supports Open Research Information set the tone for thoughtful discussions to follow. Especially the effect of AI developments on metadata were thought provoking. Because LLMs are trained on open access publications, it could have the effect that publishers decide to do less open access, in order to sell their ‘closed’ content to model builders like OpenAI. Which would arguably be a bad development for the openness of academic output.
Workshops that sparked ideas
The workshops that followed were packed with energy and curiosity.
In the User Track, Alexander from KU Leuven shared how his team uses Global Campus to identify experts, and the enthusiasm in the room was tangible. Attendees exchanged ideas on how their own institutions approach reviewer discovery and engaged in deeper discussions about how Global Campus leverages topic information, highlighting the valuable contributions of CWTS and OpenAlex.
Meanwhile, in the Technical Track, Gilmer, also from KU Leuven, showed a smaller yet equally engaged group how KU Leuven has integrated Global Campus into their SAP-ERP system to facilitate the exchange of information. Gilmer shared sample screenshots, code and a lot of three-letter abbreviations from the world of SAP. Participants also got hands-on experience exploring the OpenAlex API, discovering how easy it is to work with data from the API directly.
Connections over lunch
Over lunch, participants naturally continued networking, sharing insights, challenges, and laughter around the shared struggle of finding the right experts. Even though no one used the instant camera for the networking photo activity, it was heartening to see attendees using the Q&A cards to spark meaningful conversations and connect with their peers.
Afternoon insights and looking ahead
In the afternoon, Elliott Lumb gave an informative talk on how research integrity has been a concern since the 1970s, showcased how Signals is currently navigating these ongoing challenges and showed how the integration with Global Campus helps users to take research integrity into the equation when searching for academic experts.
Finally, Tijmen wrapped up the day with an exciting glimpse into the future of Global Campus: enhanced author profiles and comparisons, Excel imports for search queries, improved OpenAlex data integration, the addition of matchmaking within Global Campus search, and new ways to display project information from funders.
As a small gesture of thanks for being part of our first Global Campus User’s Day, each speaker received a pack of Barrel Tea, an original gift they genuinely seemed to enjoy.
As the event came to a close, one thing was clear: the Global Campus community is full of creativity and collaboration. The atmosphere throughout the day was fun, relaxed, and genuinely engaging, with attendees freely sharing experiences and insights. There was a real sense of belonging: a community of users who not only share similar challenges but also inspire one another with innovative ideas. The positive energy throughout the day was contagious, and the smiles at the end of the day said it all: people left feeling connected, inspired, and proud to be part of something that truly makes a difference.
We can’t wait to build on this momentum and make next year’s User’s Day even better!
