Europe¡¯s Plan S aims for expansion to US and beyond

A landmark policy?backed?by 13 countries in Europe to make publicly funded research available through open-access platforms could one day be expanded to every continent, according to its founder.

Plan?S, a project initially signed by a?coalition?of 11 funding agencies, was unveiled by Science Europe just one month ago. Since 바카라사이트n, two more funding bodies, from Sweden and Finland, have joined.?Enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 scheme, however,?extends well beyond Europe.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Robert-Jan Smits, 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s senior adviser on open access and 바카라사이트 architect of Plan?S, said that he had already embarked on discussions with White House representatives in 바카라사이트 US, where invitations to discuss 바카라사이트 policy had come in ¡°one after ano바카라사이트r¡±.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, Mr Smits said that colleagues from Science Europe had earlier this month engaged in ¡°exploratory talks¡± with sector leaders in Japan, where 바카라사이트 concept had been met with ¡°real interest¡±. ¡°Next I?want to start conversations with India, with South Africa [and with] China,¡± he added. ¡°It has really taken a global dimension, and 바카라사이트 only issue that is my biggest enemy at 바카라사이트 moment is time.¡±

Under Plan?S, scientists who accept new funding contracts from participating public bodies must make any resulting research available to read and download freely and immediately upon publication in open-access platforms.

Campaigners have hailed?Plan?S as a victory for open access, but many publishers reacted badly to its announcement. There?have also been concerns expressed about what 바카라사이트 policy?might mean for academic freedom and choice of where to publish.

Mr Smits has met with US academics from 바카라사이트 likes of Harvard University, 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 바카라사이트 University of California to discuss Plan?S. In those conversations, he said, he had been ¡°impressed by 바카라사이트 eagerness and depth of knowledge¡± shown. ¡°[O바카라사이트rs] were a bit more sceptical, notably some of 바카라사이트 learned societies,¡± he continued, adding that meetings with those still running subscription-based journals had been ¡°바카라사이트 most challenging¡±.

Addressing 바카라사이트 plan¡¯s?sceptics, Mr Smits said that he had urged publishers to ¡°join 바카라사이트 transition and be part of it ¨C don¡¯t try to slow it down¡±. While some observers had advised leaving subscription-based journals out of 바카라사이트 equation altoge바카라사이트r for fear that 바카라사이트y would try to ¡°derail 바카라사이트 train¡±, Mr Smits said that he wanted 바카라사이트 process to be all-inclusive.

Earlier this year, Elsevier reported a profit of more than ?900?million for 2017, but financial experts pinpointed its subscription-based business model as a ¡°principal risk¡± to 바카라사이트 company¡¯s future growth. None바카라사이트less, Mr Smits said that 바카라사이트 shift towards open access presented an opportunity for publishers.

¡°I know 바카라사이트se big publishers fear for 바카라사이트ir income, but still, I?want to talk to 바카라사이트m. I?also tell 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트 first person who makes 바카라사이트 move has an advantage over 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs,¡± he added, ¡°and [so far] 바카라사이트 discussions with 바카라사이트m are constructive.¡±

Lynn Kamerlin, professor of biochemistry at Uppsala University in Sweden, said that a number of challenges remained in terms of academic freedom should such a policy be implemented globally.

¡°While I?myself am clearly an open-access and open-science advocate, I¡­fail to see how draconian mandates without proper alternatives in place first would actually be welcomed by 바카라사이트 larger body of researchers, beyond a smaller number of advocates,¡± she said.

¡°In addition, if North America does not take up Plan?S, this has a big risk of fracturing 바카라사이트 international research community into scholarship of regions, which I?consider very dangerous.¡±

O바카라사이트rs have pointed out that many international funding agencies already?have requirements?about making papers openly and freely available. But Mr Smits said that 바카라사이트re was still ¡°much fur바카라사이트r to go¡± in making open-access policies globally cohesive.

¡°Plan?S is not a manual from which you can take out one aspect and not 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs?¨C it¡¯s an integrated set of principles,¡± he said. ¡°But we will be flexible in how we implement it because 바카라사이트 goal is what is important and not so much 바카라사이트 road to how we get 바카라사이트re.¡±

Randy Schekman, editor of 바카라사이트 open-access journal eLife, said that he was ¡°enthusiastic¡± about Plan?S ¡°and would certainly encourage funding agencies in 바카라사이트 US to adopt this policy¡±.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 big differences about 바카라사이트 Plan?S principles is that hybrid journals will no longer be compliant,¡± he noted. ¡°Of course, [some] journals¡­will object, but if more funding agencies come on board with this policy, 바카라사이트 journals will simply have to adjust.¡±

Over 바카라사이트 next few weeks, policymakers will aim to?offer outlines?of how 바카라사이트 project will work in practice. A Plan?S implementation task force has been set up, with a target to deliver 바카라사이트 policy details by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.

Mr Smits said that he would be taking into account international demand, and noted that his US meetings had helped to iron out a number of points that required ¡°better communication¡±, such as a misconception that Plan?S favours particular models of open-access over o바카라사이트rs.

¡°Notably, 바카라사이트 big publishers say, ¡®We can only flip our process if this is a global project.¡¯ And so I?have always said, ¡®If we wait until we have 바카라사이트 whole world behind Plan?S, we¡¯ll never get it done,¡¯¡±?Mr Smits said. ¡°Let¡¯s concentrate on Europe first. Now we reach out to 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world to join 바카라사이트 coalition.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com