Exploring Common Governance for Open Knowledge Infrastructures and Outputs

On 14 July 2025, we hosted an online event showcasing how digital commons transform governance models for critical knowledge infrastructure. Two of our research fellows, Melissa Hagemann and Dr. Samuel A. Moore, presented papers addressing pressing questions in Open Access research, knowledge production, and community-led governance of AI. The full video recording is now available below:

Opening Remarks and Featured Presentations

The event began with an introduction by Alek Tarkowski from Open Future, who stated, “Digital commons provide a viable framework for addressing challenges in knowledge infrastructure governance.”

The event featured insightful presentations from:

Melissa Hagemann (Budapest Open Access Initiative) discussed the global transition to equitable Open Access and presented innovative solutions for OA publishing infrastructures. “It’s crucial that we build infrastructures that enable participation from researchers across all regions,” Melissa emphasized during her talk, adding that we should “highlight models coming from the Global South to the Global North.” Access her paper here.

Dr. Samuel A. Moore examined how academic communities can shape AI governance in research and publishing. “Community governance offers a powerful alternative to corporate control of AI systems in academia,” noted Dr. Moore. He explained that AI governance is inherently linked to academic knowledge governance and that market norms inadequately regulate knowledge production. “We need a holistic perspective, with more research community experimentation and capacity building,” he concluded. Read his report.

Interactive Discussion

A lively Q&A session followed, with over 15 participants from around the world. The engaging online discussion covered several key topics:

• Community governance models for open access – Participants discussed various governance frameworks, including questions about faculty support for diamond OA in Costa Rica and how communities can influence governance.
• AI governance in scholarly contexts – There was significant discussion about AI governance, with one participant sharing ISKME’s guiding principles and others mentioning Creative Commons Signals as the newest attempt to set norms around AI.
• Commercial challenges to open infrastructure – Participants expressed concerns about commercial publishers monetizing open access fields and the procurement policies that create hurdles for open infrastructure adoption.

The event brought together researchers, digital activists, developers, and others interested in Open Access and Open Science, the future of knowledge infrastructures, and digital commons. If you missed it, we encourage you to watch the recording and share your thoughts with us.

During closing remarks, Alek Tarkowski noted:

“I appreciate how we connected various dots and how the work of people on this call is complementary. We see a common theme, which I ultimately view as ongoing work to explore how openness adapts to rapidly changing realities and challenges—whether technical, economic, or social.”