Since 2019, OpenCitations has undergone a period of significant growth and consolidation, becoming a far more complex and interconnected infrastructure. What began as a focused service has grown into a key component of the global Open Science ecosystem, embedded in a dense network of relationships and long-term commitments involving its community, its members, and the University of Bologna. As this complexity increased, it became clear that the original governance framework could no longer fully reflect or support the reality in which OpenCitations now operates, and that needed to evolve accordingly. We are pleased to finally share the outcomes of this governance evolution process, a natural response to the growth and increasing complexity of OpenCitations over the last few years. This new governance model is the most logical and necessary evolution of the infrastructure, responding to the need to recognize and formalize the responsibilities, expectations, and mutual commitments that have developed over time, while providing a structure capable of sustaining them in the long term.
The starting point can be traced back to OpenCitations’ selection by SCOSS for the 2019–2022 funding cycle. At that time, the Rules of Membership established a three-year membership duration, in line with the timeframe of the SCOSS support. While this structure was appropriate for the initial phase, the conclusion of the SCOSS cycle highlighted the need for greater flexibility in membership commitments and for governance rules better suited to a more mature and complex organization.
During the same period, OpenCitations joined intentional projects (e.g. OpenAIRE) and was included in the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), an ecosystem to which the University of Bologna also contributes as an associate member. With the end of the SCOSS-supported triennium, several governance-related issues emerged. These included the need for a clearer and more robust institutional framework, as well as the formalization and verifiability of the in-kind support provided by the University of Bologna.
The International Advisory Board for OpenCitations played a key role in shaping the discussion around these challenges. In particular, it emphasized the importance of strengthening OpenCitations’ autonomy, reducing its dependence on the Director’s role, and establishing a governance structure that would be transparent, sustainable, and resilient over time. With the guidance of the Legal Office of the University of Bologna, a strategic decision was made to revise and strengthen the internal departmental framework hosting OpenCitations, rather than creating a separate external legal entity. This approach allowed for the definition of a stable, long-term organizational structure while remaining consistent with internationally recognized Principles of Open Scholarly Infrastructure (POSI). Within this context, a dedicated working group of the International Advisory Board identified the core elements of the new governance model.
These include the formalization of the hosting membership currently exercised by the University of Bologna through ReCOSM, and the establishment of a Trustee Network. This network is designed to monitor OpenCitations’ adherence to Open Science principles and to safeguard its independence and autonomy. Public bodies and non-profit organizations with a demonstrated commitment to Open Science, or with a clear interest in supporting the infrastructure, may join this network. In addition, a transparent procedure was defined to regulate the potential transfer of the infrastructure in the event that the University of Bologna were ever to discontinue its support.
As part of the revised governance framework, the membership plan was also restructured to better reflect the nature of OpenCitations’ sustainability model. The University of Bologna was formally integrated into the membership scheme as an in-kind hosting member, recognizing its central role in providing institutional support and infrastructure. At the same time, the membership levels were simplified, moving from three tiers to two: Strategic Members, who contribute more substantially to the long-term sustainability and direction of the infrastructure, and Supporting Members, who provide financial support aligned with their capacity and interest. In this new framework, one-off or unrestricted donations are no longer included as a mechanism for supporting OpenCitations.
Working closely with the Legal Officers of the University of Bologna, the new principles were translated into concrete governance instruments. New Rules of Membership and Organizational Structure were drafted to replace the previous Rules of Membership and Organizational Bodies and Finances. In parallel, a new OpenCitations Participation Agreement was prepared, incorporating the revised membership framework and replacing the existing Memorandum of Understanding. This process culminated in the formal approval of the new governance model by the OpenCitations Council, which endorsed the proposed framework through an online vote held between 9 and 13 February.
The adoption of this new model provides OpenCitations with a clearer and more robust institutional foundation. We believe it will help in strengthening its accountability, reducing reliance on individual roles, and aligning the organization with established best practices for the sustainability of Open Science infrastructures. Above all, it embodies a shared commitment by the OpenCitations community to ensure that the infrastructure can continue to operate transparently in service of researchers, institutions, and the whole academic community for the years ahead.
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Chiara Di Giambattista (February 16, 2026). Growing in complexity: why OpenCitations needed a new Governance Model. OpenCitations blog. Retrieved March 8, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/15p8z

