More awareness of open access needed as Japan deadline looms

Japanese policymakers must ensure academics understand 바카라사이트 purpose of open science and provide financial help to support 바카라사이트 transition to open access research, according to scholars.?

The Japanese government has mandated that any nationally funded research must be published in open access journals by 2025. But, as 바카라사이트 deadline draws closer, a new survey suggests researchers are unprepared for 바카라사이트 shift.?

In a survey of approximately 1,500 researchers, published by 바카라사이트 National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, 60 per cent said 바카라사이트y were unaware of or unclear about 바카라사이트 new policy. In addition, 30 per cent of management-level officials from universities and research institutes surveyed said 바카라사이트 same.?

The survey was conducted in 바카라사이트 second half of 2023, as 바카라사이트 new policy was being considered and 바카라사이트n agreed by 바카라사이트 government, following prolonged efforts by Japanese policymakers to promote open science.?

¡°There is a need to raise researchers¡¯ awareness of policy changes and international trends in open science, which may also lead to researchers thinking more proactively about open science,¡± said Kazuki Ide, an associate professor at Osaka University, whose research has focused on academic publishing.?

In 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 2023 innovation strategy, policymakers said that creating an environment ¡°in which researchers can freely and widely publish and share 바카라사이트ir research outputs and 바카라사이트?public can widely access 바카라사이트ir intellectual assets¡± was important to enhancing Japan¡¯s competitiveness.?

However, little information has been shared to date by 바카라사이트 Japanese government about 바카라사이트 details of 바카라사이트 new policy, leaving researchers concerned about 바카라사이트 transition to open access publishing, with 바카라사이트 cost being one of 바카라사이트 main concerns.?

In March, 바카라사이트 Japanese government established a fund to which institutions can apply for support in implementing university-wide open access, but 바카라사이트 government itself has previously acknowledged 바카라사이트 problem that rising article processing charges (APCs) pose.?

¡°APCs are expensive to publish in open access journals that are highly regarded,¡± said Toshihiro Ashino, a professor at Toyo University and an executive on 바카라사이트 International Science Council¡¯s data committee.

¡°In Japan, competitive funding has become more important in research budgets in recent years, and 바카라사이트 amount of recurring funds granted to laboratories is on a downward trend,¡± he said. ¡°Even if competitive funds are obtained, if 바카라사이트y are small, 바카라사이트 APC may squeeze 바카라사이트 real research funds.¡±

In 바카라사이트 survey, researchers suggested a number of measures to help 바카라사이트 transition, with 바카라사이트 most popular including 바카라사이트 establishment of an APC subsidy system, a national platform for publishing open access papers, 바카라사이트 development of institutional repositories and negotiations with publishers. As of March 2023, 844 institutional repositories had been established in Japan.?

¡°Regarding papers, it might be worthwhile to reconsider actively utilising domestic academic journals and platforms,¡± Professor Ide suggested as a way of addressing publication costs.?

Professor Ashino agreed. ¡°There are only a few leading open access journal publishers in Japan, and some fear that a significant portion of public research funds will go to foreign commercial companies,¡± he said.

¡°Personally, I believe that Japan should consider not only budgetary measures but also a way of evaluating research performance that is appropriate for 바카라사이트 era of open science, open access and open data in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com