Exploring the Impact of Open Access Challenges and Opportunities for the Community

March 2, 2023

Alfonso Pierantonio


Exploring the Impact of Open Access Challenges and Opportunities for the Community

Time:   11:00am
Location:   Zoom3 - https://zoom.us/j/3911012202 (pass: @s3)

Open Access (OA) is a mechanism that allows for free and immediate access to research results and data. It aims to enhance global dissemination, reduce research duplication, and increase the use of scientific contributions in teaching programs, among others. However, a survey has revealed that many researchers need more adequate knowledge about OA and the transition to it. While making research products openly available is a great idea for communicating science and knowledge, shifting the costs from readers to authors induces risks that must be identified, understood, and analyzed. It is worth noting that OA does not eliminate publishing costs. The move to OA can lead to financial bias if publishers take advantage of the opportunity to publish more or engage in unethical practices. This could create an unequal playing field, where some researchers have an advantage over others due to their access to resources. The talk describes the scientific publishing market, the problems emerging from the current transition to OA, and potential countermeasures to mitigate the current difficulties.