Seeking a fresh perspective: a research funder's view of open access

• Main Authors: David Sweeney, Ben Johnson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ubiquity Press 2014-03-01
• Series: Insights: The UKSG Journal
• Online Access: http://insights.uksg.org/articles/108

For open access (OA) to become a reality, all stakeholders will need to engage positively with each other to rise to the substantial practical challenges it brings. This means moving beyond advocacy and resistance towards a more mature, evidence-based dialogue that seeks to understand all perspectives and find workable solutions. For research funders, scholarly publication delivers crucial public benefits; funders' OA mandates should be seen as tools for maximizing these benefits. The Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) policy for open access in the next Research Excellence Framework (REF) has been put together by listening to all sides of the debate, and its success depends on continuing positive, sensitive and engaged discussions between everyone involved.