Science rankings rely on papers in academic journals. Broadening the view to include many more open-access journals will upend the usual order – thanks to China’s vast number of publications.
Some open access journals — those that don’t charge their readers a fee — require that researchers pay to publish with them. Removing author fees helps more researchers to publish their work.
Lack of free access to research leads to discrimination, both in academia and for us all. The new guidance from the US is a huge step in the right direction.
Making scientific research free to read could bolster collaboration and research on solving problems such as pandemics, climate change and more. The UN has taken a step towards realising this goal.
Open access to COVID-19 research accelerated the development of solutions. The urgency of climate change demands the same approach, but more than half of Australian research is still behind paywalls.
The idea is publicly funded Australian research should be free for the public to read when published. But if it means taking money from universities struggling for research funding, that poses risks.
We need to guarantee that the benefits of sciences are shared between scientists and the general public, without restriction. Peru and Brazil are leading the way.
In many other countries, a majority of research publications are now open access, but the system of paying for access still dominates academic publishing in Australia.
Higher education should provide access for as many people as possible to fulfil their potential as individuals. Leaders in higher education must be ready to examine what it will take to achieve this.
Scientists and science publishers are sharing information as fast as they can during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speed and openness bring new challenges, but they are the way forward for research.
The UC libraries let their Elsevier journal subscriptions lapse and now the publisher has cut their online access. It’s a painful milestone in the fight UC hopes may transform how journals get paid.