[Responsible-digital-futures] Shaping a Fairer Future for Global Knowledge

[Suchith Anand]

Dear colleagues,


Earlier this month (May 4–6, 2026), the Technical University of Munich
(TUM) hosted an inspiring, landmark gathering of global scholars,
policymakers, infrastructure providers, and activists for the *FOR2026
Conference: The Future of Open Research: Reliable, Responsible, Equitable*.
The event generated immense resonance across the international research
landscape, prompting critical and collaborative debates on how to transform
the open science movement into a truly inclusive global endeavour.

Members of the Ethical Data Initiative (EDI) team were proud to be present
and heavily engaged throughout this highly successful event. While the
conference was officially convened within the framework of our close
collaborators at the Philosophy of Open Science for Diverse Research
Environments (PHIL_OS) project , the deep structural and conceptual
crossover between the PHIL_OS and EDI teams highlights a powerful, shared
vision for the future of global data governance, ethics, and knowledge
equity.


The central defining output of the conference will be the development of
the *Munich Manifesto for Equitable Open Research* (also known as the
Munich Declaration). Introduced during the opening plenary session by
Professor Sabina Leonelli, the Manifesto acts as a progressive framework
detailing concrete pathways to ensure open research serves as a tool for
reliable, responsible, and fair inquiry rather than commercial or
geopolitical leverage. The discussions at FOR2026 highlighted pressing
contemporary challenges that the Manifesto directly addresses. These
include the political polarisation of open science, its rapid and worrying
appropriation by massive commercial digital platforms and publishing
houses, its fraught intersection with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the
urgent need to realign open methodologies to serve the diverse public
interests of communities worldwide. The Manifesto is currently undergoing
final collaborative drafting. The organising committee is working
diligently to synthesise the invaluable feedback, critiques, and insights
brought forward by the delegates. A finalised version will be distributed
to the conference delegates next month for their consideration and
signature, after which it will be released to the broader public. The
Ethical Data Initiative will notify our audiences and share the final text
as soon as it becomes available!


Read about the event and access resources at
https://ethicaldatainitiative.org/2026/05/22/shaping-a-fairer-future-for-global-knowledge-insights-from-the-for2026-conference/


Best wishes


Suchith


Professor Suchith Anand

Professor of Practice in Science Policy | Senior Adviser to Governments and
International Organisations | Scientist | Global Citizen | Science
Diplomacy |  SDG Volunteer and Advocate

https://spspa.exeter.ac.uk/people/profile/index.php?username=sa1131

https://ethicaldatainitiative.org
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