Welcome to the European Diamond Capacity Hub Forum, a virtual, collaborative, dynamic and inclusive space for discussions, helping members strengthen connections and tackle common challenges in the field of Diamond Open Access publishing. This forum serves as a shared resource where users (individuals, institutions, organisations) can ask questions, share insights, and discuss the latest developments.
The forum is hosted on Discourse, which provides useful resources for newcomers. Please read them to familiarise yourself with how to navigate and participate effectively:
Discussions are organised into categories based on the DOAS components:
- Funding
- Legal ownership, mission, and governance
- Open science practices
- Editorial management, quality, and research integrity
- Publishing infrastructure, interoperability, and collaboration
- Visibility, communication, marketing, and impact
- Equity, diversity, inclusion, and multilingualism
- General: news, newcomer introductions, and open discussions
- Feedback: discussion about this forum, its organisation, how it works, and how it can be improved.
Language policy
Encouraging diversity and multilingualism
The primary language of the forum is English, but we welcome discussions in other languages to foster multilingualism.
If you would like to create a discussion in another language, please request a dedicated topic from the admin team. You should propose a moderator for that language group.
A space for thoughtful discussion
Treat this forum like a public space—a shared resource for learning, collaboration, and professional discussions. These guidelines are here to help foster a healthy community environment, where everyone feels welcome to participate and contribute to meaningful discussions.
Our aim is to keep this space welcoming, respectful, and open to diverse perspectives. These are simply guidelines to ensure that discussions remain constructive and inclusive. We all have a role to play in maintaining this environment.
Improve the discussion
Every conversation matters. Help us make this a great place for discussion by always working to improve the discussion in some way, however small. If you’re unsure whether your post adds value, take a moment to reflect before sharing.
You can also enhance the discussion by exploring existing topics—chances are, someone else may already be discussing the same ideas or challenges. This way, you’ll find more opportunities to engage with others who share your interests.
To keep the forum organised, please ensure your posts are made in the appropriate categories. Don’t cross-post content across multiple threads, and avoid posting empty replies or irrelevant content. Keep discussions relevant and on-topic to ensure that everyone can participate in an efficient, meaningful way.
Your participation matters
The tone of this community is shaped by every interaction. Help create an environment where thoughtful, respectful, and engaging discussions thrive.
Discourse provides tools to highlight quality contributions: bookmark, replies, edits, watching or tracking topics to be notified of new content. Use these features to enhance your experience and support a positive community culture.
Let’s grow our community together!
Disagree thoughtfully and respectfully
It’s perfectly natural to disagree, but it’s important to remain respectful. If you find yourself at odds with another member, focus on ideas rather than individuals. Here are a few things to avoid:
- Personal attacks
- Name-calling
- Responding to tone instead of content
- Knee-jerk contradictions without constructive input
Instead, offer well-reasoned counter-arguments that advance the conversation in a productive way.
If you see a problem, report it
Moderators rely on the community to help maintain quality discussions. If you encounter inappropriate behavior, please report it directly to the moderators of the relevant category by using the forum messaging system rather than engaging with the issue yourself or flagging it.
Moderators reserve the right to remove content or accounts that violate these guidelines. However, moderators do not pre-approve posts and are not responsible for content posted by users.
Be civil and inclusive
A healthy conversation can easily be disrupted by rudeness. When using this forum, always be polite and respectful to all members.
- Be civil – Do not post anything that could be considered offensive, abusive, or hate speech.
- Keep it appropriate – Avoid obscene or sexually explicit content.
- Respect others – Do not harass, impersonate, or share private information about anyone.
- Be mindful of cultural differences – This forum is used by people from around the world, and English may not be everyone’s first language.
- Keep discussions professional– This forum is intended for professional conversations.
- Respect the forum – Do not post spam or engage in disruptive behaviour.
If you’re uncertain about the appropriateness of your message, ask yourself: “Would I be comfortable seeing this post in a public space?”
Post only your own content
You are not allowed to post any digital content that belongs to someone else without their permission. Additionally, you may not share descriptions, links, or methods for unlawfully obtaining intellectual property (such as software, videos, audio, or images) or for violating any other laws.
Powered by the community
This forum is run by moderators and you, the community. If you have feedback or suggestions, open a topic in About the Forum and let’s discuss!
For urgent issues that require moderator intervention, please contact the moderators of the relevant category directly. The moderator will liaise with the admin team to determine the appropriate course of action.
Thank you for making this forum a valuable and welcoming space for all!
And thank you to the FAIRdata Forum for inspiring us with their principles and fostering a collaborative and respectful environment that we strive to emulate here.