Cambridge, MA (November 18, 2024) – Today, the MIT Press is releasing a comprehensive report that addresses how open access policies shape research and what is needed to maximize their positive impact on the research ecosystem.
The report, entitled "Access to Science & Scholarship 2024: Building an Evidence Base to Support the Future of Open Research Policy," is the outcome of a National Science Foundation-funded workshop held at the D.C. headquarters of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on September 20, 2024.
While open access aims to democratize knowledge, its implementation has been a factor in the consolidation of the academic publishing industry, an explosion in published articles with inconsistent review and quality control, and new costs that may be hard for researchers and universities to bear, with less affluent schools and regions facing the greatest risk. The workshop examined how open access and other open science policies may affect research and researchers in the future, how to measure their impact, and how to address emerging challenges.
The event brought together leading experts to discuss critical issues in open scientific and scholarly publishing. These issues include:
The report identifies key research questions in order to advance open science and scholarship. These include:
“This workshop report is a crucial step in building a data-driven roadmap for the future of open science publishing and policy,” said Dr. Phillip Sharp, Institute Professor and Professor of Biology Emeritus at MIT and faculty lead of the working group behind the workshop and the report. “By identifying key research questions around infrastructure, training, technology, and business models, we aim to ensure that open science practices are sustainable and that they contribute to the highest quality research.”
The full report is available for download here , along with video recordings of the workshop.
About The MIT Press:
The MIT Press is a leading academic publisher committed to advancing knowledge and innovation. It publishes significant books and journals across a wide range of disciplines spanning science, technology, design, humanities, and social science.
For more information, please contact Nick Lindsay at nlindsay@mit.edu .