Friends,
Here is a public release statement on APC and its impact on developing
countries from the Academia Joven de Argentina . As
the subject is relevant to the the LIS community, I thought of sharing the
statement through this Forum. Please sharee this statement with the
scientific and scholarly communities you serve. Thanks.
Subbiah Arunachalam
******
29th October 2021
*Ref.: STATEMENT: ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGE (APC) POLICIES & OPEN ACCESS
(OA) PUBLISHING: THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND THE NEED FOR A
MULTILATERAL SOLUTION*
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*This initiative arose from a group of young scientists who are members of
The TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN) and The Argentinian Young Academy
(AJA), in collaboration with different National Young Academies and
Institutions listed below.*
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Over the past years, the Open Access (OA) publishing models have been
shaping the way we publish, allowing scientific articles to be freely
available online. At a first glance, the OA publishing model apparently
universalizes science, making it accessible to everyone, in agreement with
the human right to science, as recognized by Article 27 of Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948). However, the Author-Pays OA
publishing model shifted the financial burden from readers to the authors.
This model incurs extremely high publication costs for the authors often
bundled into one article processing charge (APC).
Research and academic institutions also contribute to the problem by
implementing evaluation methodologies based on journal-based metrics (such
as Journal Impact Factors) to assess and compare the scientific
contribution of individuals and institutions.
The Author-Pays OA model represents a large barrier for the global
scientific community, with particular impact on the progress of early
career researchers.
In the midst of this complex scenario, we believe that the international
community should assume the challenge of exercising multilateral governance
and academic cooperation in the face of the inequities that arise from this
new OA publication model. To that end, the signing global organizations
promote the creation of an ad hoc worldwide committee (*Global Initiative
for Equitable OA Models*), working under the umbrella of multilateral
global academic institutions or similar bodies.
[...]
The Committee aspires to:
*1.* Establish a fluid dialogue between the various members of the
scientific community, policy makers and representatives from governments,
to further discuss options and implement joint actions for an equitable
model of OA for the global scientific community.
*2.* Draft a global agreement aimed at enforcing equitable access to
publishing in OA Journals moving away from Author Pays OA and toward models
that either a) repurpose existing subscription funds to fund e.g. sponsored
OA or b) subscribe-to-open OA; or obtain funding for academic publishing
from institutions or other public sources (diamond/platinum OA). Regulation
should include guidelines aimed at setting copyrights.
*3.* Create a global economic containment network to financially support
the Least Developing Countries (LDCs) and Science Lagging Countries (SLCs)
in order to strengthen national scientific R&D systems in line with
objectives previously established by the countries at the multilateral
level, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
*4.* Set up a network of existing or new diamond journals from developing
countries, aimed at promoting non commercial open publishing practices with
clear and transparent regulations and strong standardized peer review
processes. This can lead to new prestigious and recognized options where
scientific communication will prevail over the interests from the
publishing industry.
[...]
*We invite you to read the full statement and fill in the following form: *
*https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScviZGzU1AmzYCZbZJmS3aBwStRsJwAKuek...
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScviZGzU1AmzYCZbZJmS3aBwStRsJwAKuek...
We hope that by adding you/your institution we can raise awareness and
discussion on this issue and implement the specific action proposals herein
presented aimed to advance progress in building more equitable models for
opening knowledge.
*Finally, we kindly invite you to help us spread the word and share this
statement among your contacts. *
Please accept the assurances of our highest consideration,
Dra. Eva Acosta and Dr. Hernan Grecco (Co-Chairs of Argentinian Young
Academy (AJA))
Dra. Luciana Balboa (AJA and Global Young Academy)
Dr. Franco M. Cabrerizo (Chair of TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN))
*Signatory Organizations*
[image: image.png]
TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN)
Academia Joven de Argentina (AJA)
Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences (YIPA
CAS)
The RSE Young Academy of Scotland
Young Scientists Network - Academy of Sciences Malaysia (YSN-ASM)
Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists (CAYS)
National Young Academy of Bangladesh (NYAB)
Belgian Young Academy (Jonge Academie, JA)
The Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and
Scientists (RSC SRC)
Burundi Council of Young Scientists
Sudanese academy of young scientists (SAYS)
National Academy of Young Scientists (NAYS) Pakistan
Thai Young Scientists Academy (TYSA)
The Global Young Academy (GYA)
The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing
countries (TWAS)
Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO)
Foro Latinoamericano sobre Evaluación Científica (FOLEC)
Izmir Institute of Technology
Women in Science Without Borders (WSWB)
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Academia Joven de Argentina
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Arun
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4398-4658
http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-9925-2009
--
Arun
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4398-4658
http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-9925-2009
