[Irtalk] Opening up research could boost UK economy

[Smith, Ina <ismith@sun.ac.za>]

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/stories/2010/06/open.aspx

Universities could be adding millions of pounds to the UK economy, according to findings announced this week by JISC at a Universities UK event.

A single large university could contribute around £3 million each year to the research community as a whole simply by sharing knowledge through a more open route.
A recent JISC report, authored by Alma Swan (Modelling scholarly communication options: costs and benefits for universities<http://ie-repository.jisc.ac.uk/442/>1) shows that a single large university could contribute around £3 million each year to the research community as a whole simply by sharing knowledge through a more open route.

Open Access is the free online access to the outputs of publicly funded research. Currently, universities often share their knowledge, and thereby support innovation and practice by businesses, public bodies and third sector organisations, through subscription-based journals. These are too expensive for many outside universities to afford in the numbers needed.

"With a small oncology company ... it is imperative that I have access to the literature. But small companies do not have the 'deep pockets' necessary... Much of the most innovative work is being done at companies like mine that cannot afford to pay $30+ per paper or pay per-search charges in abstracts or journal collections," explains Terence Dolak, SDR Pharmaceutical.

Whilst Open Access is already being explored in many UK universities and higher education colleges and required by all major UK funders, the report suggests more could and should be done in the next five years to make Open Access the preferred route for publishing research and thus increasing the competitiveness and creativity of the UK.

Chris Hale, Universities UK, comments; "We need to think of more effective ways for researchers to share their work freely so that it has maximum impact, rather than restricting access by placing a high financial premium on it. Open Access gives academics reputational capital, which is their currency."

Neil Jacobs, programme manager for JISC's Open Access work, says; "If the UK is to continue to grow beyond the impacts of the recession and compete at a global level, it requires the private sector having access to the outputs from the public science base and being able to use that to innovate. What we need is an Open Access vision for the entire sector covering the next 5-10 years."

Where institutions have gone down the Open Access route, the uptake and interest has been significant. For example, Ian Simpson, Deputy Principal, Stirling University, says, "Since the introduction of an Open Access policy, we have seen 43% of research outputs published and accessed freely online through a repository.  Downloads of information have increased from 5000 per month in 2007 to 45000 per month in 2009. This is a very persuasive case for senior HE managers and knowledge transfer managers to explore the greater use of Open Access."

Dr. Malcolm Read, Executive Secretary, JISC, concludes; "It is clear that the choices research organisations and individual researchers make in deciding how research should be published can have an effect on the value to society of tax payer funded research. Although JISC has achieved a great deal in promoting the Open Access debate earnestly and consistently over the past 15 years, we still have more to do to engage the research community more effectively."



Ina Smith
E-Research Repository Manager
Library and Information Service
Tel:  +27 21 808 9139
Fax:  +27 21 808 3723
University of Stellenbosch
Private Bag X5036, 7599
South Africa
Office hours: Mo-Fr: 08h00-16h30
Skype: smith.ina
E-mail: ismith at sun.ac.za<mailto:ismith at sun.ac.za>
Web: http://library.sun.ac.za<http://library.sun.ac.za/>

<http://rs.sun.ac.za/rs/otxG_q>

Ina Smith
E-Navorsingsbewaarplekbestuurder
Biblioteek- en Inligtingsdiens
Tel:  +27 21 808 9139
Faks: +27 21 808 3723
Universiteit van Stellenbosch
Privaatsak X5036, 7599
Suid-Afrika
Kantoorure: Ma-Vr: 08h00-16h30
Skype: smith.ina
E-pos: ismith at sun.ac.za<mailto:ismith at sun.ac.za>
Web: http://library.sun.ac.za<http://library.sun.ac.za/>


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