[Open-access] [open-science] Science Europe policy statement on the transition to Open Access

Peter Murray-Rust pm286 at cam.ac.uk
Thu May 2 02:58:34 UTC 2013


On Wed, May 1, 2013 at 7:33 PM, Mike Taylor <mike at indexdata.com> wrote:

> I agree that the Science Europe statement is mostly very good.
>
>
Thanks Ross - agreed.


> But ...
>
> When did we get so habituated to publishers' entitlement that we now
> CELEBRATE a six-month embargo as though it's a victory rather than an
> outrage?
>
> There is no justification for ANY embargo, ever. It's time we started
> getting noisy about that fact.
>
>
I agree . I'm a hardliner on this. It's our material - our research - we
created it without thought of personal financial reward.  6 months is
unacceptable.  The same happens with licences - every assumption that we
have to negotiate with publishers is an implicit concession. We have
absolute rights - we blundered many away but they are still rights and we
must fight for them.

Absolutely


> -- Mike.
>
>
>
>
> On 1 May 2013 18:51, Ross Mounce <ross.mounce at okfn.org> wrote:
> > In case you haven't seen this on Twitter yet...
> >
> > Science Europe have released an excellent short, clear & agreeable policy
> > statement on the transition to OA here:
> > http://www.scienceeurope.org/downloads
> > direct link to PDF:
> >
> http://www.scienceeurope.org/uploads/Public%20documents%20and%20speeches/SE_OA_Pos_Statement.pdf
> >
> > I'm delighted they've backed the strong RCUK-like stance of allowing an
> > embargo/delay of only 6 months for non-AHSS research.
> > It also supports all good approaches to open access regardless of 'gold'
> or
> > 'green' distinction, except in the case of the 'hybrid model' which it
> > rightfully pours scorn on.
> >
> > (from the PDF below)
> >
> > The Science Europe Member Organisations have agreed on the following
> vision
> > and principles:
> >
> > With regard to Open Access to research publications, Science Europe
> Member
> > Organisations share the view that:
> >
> > • publication and dissemination of results are an integral part of the
> > research process. The allocation of
> > resources within the research system must take this into account;
> > • Open Access to the published results of publicly-funded research will
> have
> > huge value for the research
> > community and will offer significant social and economic benefits to
> > potential users in industry, charitable and
> > public sectors, to individual professionals, and to the general public;
> > • Open Access, as defined in the Berlin Declaration, is not only about
> the
> > right of access, but also about the
> > opportunity to re-use information with as few restrictions as possible,
> > subject to proper attribution;
> > • the common goal of Science Europe Members is to shift to a research
> > publication system in which free
> > access to research publications is guaranteed, and which avoids undue
> > publication barriers. This involves a
> > move towards Open Access, replacing the present subscription system with
> > other publication models whilst
> > redirecting and reorganising the current resources accordingly.
> > Science Europe is committed to playing a role in accomplishing the
> > transition to Open Access as quickly as
> > possible, in an efficient and sustainable way, and thus avoiding
> unnecessary
> > costs. This transition process
> > must be as co-ordinated and transparent as possible.
> >
> > Therefore the Science Europe Member Organisations:
> >
> > • will continue to support any valid approaches to achieve Open Access,
> > including those commonly referred
> > to as the ‘green’ and ‘gold’ routes;
> > • recognise repositories and related facilities as key strategic research
> > infrastructure which should comply with
> > high quality standards;
> > • stress that research publications should either be published in an Open
> > Access journal or be deposited as soon as possible in a repository, and
> made
> > available in Open Access in all cases no later than six months
> > following first publication. In Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the
> > delay may need to be longer than six
> > months but must be no more than 12 months;
> > • require that as part of the publication services provided against the
> > payment of Open Access publication
> > fees, effective mechanisms are in place to ensure that the publication of
> > research outputs is subject to rigorous
> > quality assurance;
> > • will co-ordinate efforts to ensure the efficient and cost effective
> use of
> > public funds, and combine
> > programmes for covering Open Access costs with budget control mechanisms
> and
> > to build up monitoring
> > systems for these costs;
> > • accept that it is essential that Open Access transactions need to be
> > managed efficiently, with the
> > co-operation of all parties involved;
> > • require that funding of Open Access publication fees is part of a
> > transparent cost structure, incorporating a
> > clear picture of publishers’ service costs;
> > • expect publishers to apply institutional-, regional-, or country-based
> > reductions in journal subscriptions, in
> > line with increases in author- or institution-pays contributions;
> > • stress that the hybrid model, as currently defined and implemented by
> > publishers, is not a working and viable
> > pathway to Open Access. Any model for transition to Open Access
> supported by
> > Science Europe Member
> > Organisations must prevent ‘double dipping’ and increase cost
> transparency;
> > • recognise that some redirection and reorganisation of current budgets
> will
> > be necessary. Governments
> > should give due consideration to the fact that public funds for journal
> > subscriptions often come from other
> > ministries or institutions than those directly responsible for funding
> > research; consequently, some rebalancing
> > of budgets may be required.
> >
> > Science Europe wishes to encourage the European Commission, national
> > governments, research
> > funding and research performing organisations and other stakeholders
> across
> > the world to adopt
> > this approach to Open Access and to actively nurture collaboration in
> this
> > area.
> >
> >
> > Ross
> >
> > --
> > Open Knowledge Foundation
> > Community Coordinator, Open Science
> > www.okfn.org
> >
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> >
>
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-- 
Peter Murray-Rust
Reader in Molecular Informatics
Unilever Centre, Dep. Of Chemistry
University of Cambridge
CB2 1EW, UK
+44-1223-763069
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