May 7, 2026
We are pleased to announce an expansion of the Steering Group of the Barcelona Declaration on Open Research Information.
Three new members have been appointed: Daniela Perrotta (CLACSO, the Latin American Council of Social Sciences), Miranda Bennett (California Digital Library, part of the University of California), and Beatrix Busse / Nicoleta Laura Popa (Coimbra Group, an association of over 40 research-intensive multidisciplinary European universities).
This expansion reflects the continued growth of the Barcelona Declaration and the need to bring together diverse perspectives to support its next phase.
The Barcelona Declaration Steering Group plays a central role in guiding the strategic direction of the Declaration, supporting its development as a globally engaged initiative, and helping to shape priorities and coordinated efforts across the community.
Global representation
With the addition of new members, the Steering Group further reflects the growing international scope of the Barcelona Declaration. Strengthening connections across regions remains an important focus, particularly as the initiative deepens its presence in Latin America, with 15 signatories and supporters contributing to its development.
At the same time, the participation of the California Digital Library strengthens connections in North America, broadening the range of regional perspectives within the Steering Group. This expanded representation creates opportunities for dialogue with regional initiatives that are actively shaping discussions on research assessment.
As highlighted by Daniela Perrota (Director of FOLEC-CLACSO), this dialogue situates research information within a broader knowledge ecosystem understood as a public and common good:
“Dialogue with regional initiatives such as FOLEC-CLACSO is key, as it frames research information as part of a broader knowledge ecosystem understood as a public and common good. In line with the Bogotá Manifesto, it promotes open, interoperable, and non-commercial infrastructures, as well as inclusive and democratically governed systems. These principles align with the Barcelona Declaration by reinforcing openness and reusability of research information, while also incorporating dimensions such as cognitive justice, multilingualism, and the social relevance of knowledge.”
Representation of diverse stakeholder groups
The new members also broaden the representation of key stakeholder groups within the Steering Group. This includes research libraries, which play a central role in managing, negotiating, and sharing open research information across institutions. Through the participation of the California Digital Library, represented by Miranda Bennett, this brings a strong representation of US-based library practice into the Steering Group, adding to the diversity of perspectives represented.
The participation of representatives from the Coimbra Group, Beatrix Busse and Nicoleta Laura Popa (vice rectors at the University of Cologne and the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi, respectively), who will be sharing a seat on the Steering Group), strengthens the role of university networks, which connect institutional perspectives with broader coordination across research systems and policy discussions.
This highlights that advancing open research information requires aligned efforts across different levels, from institutional practice and implementation to coordination across networks.
Miranda Bennett, Director of Shared Collections at California Digital Library, noted:
“I am pleased to join the Barcelona Declaration Steering Group and look forward to the opportunity to advance support for open research information. For libraries, open research information enables more efficient workflows, cross–institutional collaboration, and improved discoverability of resources, and I’m particularly excited about the work of the Barcelona Declaration, in partnership with OA Forward, to help libraries negotiate open research information terms into publisher contracts.”
Emphasising the role of university networks in translating shared principles into practice, Beatrix Busse and Nicoleta Laura Popa (Coimbra Group) stated:
“We approach this responsibility with both conviction and a realistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead. Drawing on the Coimbra Group’s long standing engagement with the university sector and with policymakers, we are keen to help guide the Barcelona Declaration through its next phase. Working alongside fellow members of the Steering Group, our ambition is to help translate our shared principles into structural and cultural change. This ambition speaks directly to the expectations of the Declaration signatories. Recent global developments only reinforce the urgency and significance of the transition towards a more open, transparent and responsible research information landscape.”
Looking ahead
As the Barcelona Declaration continues to evolve, our expanded Steering Group will help bring diverse perspectives into conversation and support coordinated progress towards more open and transparent research information systems. Bianca Kramer, Executive Director of the Barcelona Declaration, added:
“Having influential organisations such as CLACSO, California Digital Library, and Coimbra Group represented in our Steering Group demonstrates the momentum for open research information. I am grateful to Daniela, Miranda, Beatrix, and Nicoleta for their strong commitment to the Barcelona Declaration.”
Learn more about the Barcelona Declaration Steering Group: https://barcelona-declaration.org/about/