...After presentations from experts and OA practitioners, a draft National OA Policy for Developing Countries was considered, based on earlier policy documents, and adapted to meet developing country needs. Suggestions from participants were tabled and the document revised taking these into account. A further period for consultation has led to the acceptance of the attached policy statement by those present.
The policy statement provides a clear way forward to achieving free access to publicly-funded research publications that is essential for scientific progress in all countries. It can be adopted and used by national governments, their funding organisations, research institutes and universities to accelerate the free exchange of research findings and reap optimum benefit from academic investment....
Subbiah Arunachalam Distinguished Fellow M S Swaminathan Research Foundation CHENNAI 600 113, India
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The Bangalore workshop was convened to bring together policy makers and research scientists from major developing countries to agree a path forward towards adopting full Open Access to publicly-funded research publications. The importance of access to the world's research information for the development of a strong economy and a vibrant research capability is widely acknowledged, yet financial barriers limit access by developing countries to the research information they need. Equally, the unique research carried out in countries representing 80% of the world's population is largely 'invisible' to international science because of economic or other constraints. The resolution of many of the world's problems, such as emerging infectious diseases, environmental disasters, HIV/AIDS or climate change, cannot be achieved without incorporation of the research from developing countries into the global knowledge pool....
Building on the Budapest Open Access Initiative recommendations, and past Declarations of commitments to the strategy of Open Access, particularly the Salvador International Declaration on Open Access for Developing Countries, and recognising the benefits that Open Access will bring to the strengthening of science, participants to the Workshop agreed the following model National Open Access Policy for Developing Countries.
A National Open Access Policy for Developing Countries
The [country-name] Government/Government Department expects the authors of papers reporting publicly-funded research to maximise the accessibility, usage and applications of their findings. To this end:
As a condition for research funding, the [country-name] Government:
requires electronic copies of any research papers that have been accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, and are supported in whole or in part by Government funding, to be deposited in an institutional digital repository [IR] immediately upon acceptance for publication;
encourages Government Grant Holders to provide Open Access to their deposited papers immediately upon deposit;
encourages Government Grant Holders to publish in a suitable Open Access Journal where one exists....
Comment. This model policy is important for two reasons. First, it's exemplary in its provisions. It calls for the right things in the right ways, and calls for nothing inessential. Second, it has the backing of important researchers and officials from India, China, Brazil, and South Africa, the largest of the developing and transition countries. It could, and certainly should, have a wide and deep impact.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 11/22/2006 09:35:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
