Open Access

In the world of academic research, the dissemination of knowledge and collaboration among scholars are fundamental drivers of progress. While traditional peer-reviewed journals have been the traditional method for sharing research findings, they often entail lengthy publication timelines and restricted access. In contrast, the preprint servers are instrumental in advancing scientific communication and rapid dissemination of research findings. However, they also come with concerns related to quality, credibility, and ethical considerations.

When we consider research, our minds often gravitate towards conventional research publications, and it's undeniable that there are countless accredited research articles spanning every conceivable field of study worldwide. As it is said that "tradition is the illusion of permanence", this idea of conventional research publications is so deeply rooted in our minds, that we almost never wander towards those pieces of research works that are published unconventionally yet are equally impactful.

FEAST (Food systems that support transitions to hEalthy And Sustainable dieTs), a 5-year Horizon Europe project, aims to transform European food systems from the current 'Lose-Lose-Lose-Win' model, benefiting only big food corporations at the expense of the environment, health, and public sector, into a 'Win-Win-Win-Win' model. This shift would bring gains for people, the planet, the public sector, and the private sector. To achieve this, FEAST employs a multi-actor approach, crucial for empowering all food system players with the necessary knowledge.

In continuation to our previous blog on open access research platforms offered by non-profit organizations, this blog is dedicated to those open access research platforms that are owned and managed by the for-profit organizations like Google and Clarivate Analytics, among others. The aim of this article is not to evaluate these platforms, but rather to give an overview on the availability of different research platforms. 

As humans, we thrive to make our lives easy and with Google in place, we are half-way through finding solutions to almost all our hardships. However, finding millions of solutions on the internet is not always a blessing. Sorting the results that best serve the problem is a tedious task. For researchers, this time-taking process of finding the most relevant idea on the internet is an everyday saga. On top of it, several resourceful platforms charge expensive fees owing to their intellectual property laws.  

In the EU Framework programme for Research & Innovation Horizon 2020, open science was almost reduced to open access. Although Horizon Europe is a continuation of its predecessor programme, it integrates a more complete approach of the open science concept.

If you are not an Open Science (OS) policy specialist and looking for quick information on foreign countries, it can be challenging to find what you need in the mass of information. This applies particularly to this “young” field, which is developing rapidly.

As far as Europe is concerned, many open science networks and information platforms can give a quick overview on national policies. The following sources are not limited to strictly governmental policies but also mention national funder policies.

EU rules and legislations influence and affect open science at EU and national levels.

Research and internal market are “shared competences” of the European Union. Within these two fields, the European Union is able to determine a common Open Science framework, and to influence national policies as well.

The European Commission launched OpenAIRE in 2010 as both an online portal (infrastructure) and a network of helpdesks and experts  (34 National Open Access Desk (NOADs). Its original objective was to support the implementation of the European open access policies: the ERC Scientific Council Guidelines for Open Access (2007) and the Open Access (OA) pilot in FP7.

Research data should “flow” unhindered and loss-free along the life cycle of research projects. “FAIR Data Principles” formulate principles that must be fulfilled when dealing with sustainably reusable research data:

According to the FAIR principles guiding the Open Data sharing in H2020 projects since 2016, data should be “Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable”.

The question therefore arises: How “FAIR” is research data in Europe today?