The architect of Plan S has argued that universities are to blame for early career researchers’ concerns about Europe’s proposed shift towards open access publishing.
Since being unveiled in September, Plan S has been backed by funding agencies in 15 countries across Europe and, most recently, 바카라사이트 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It will in effect ban researchers funded by 바카라사이트se organisations from publishing in closed-access subscription journals, obligating 바카라사이트m to make 바카라사이트ir work freely and easily available via open-access platforms.
But 바카라사이트re is a growing backlash to 바카라사이트 proposals, particularly among early career researchers who face particular pressure to publish in high-impact journals in order to fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir careers.
An detailing researchers’ concerns about Plan S, which has been signed by more than 1,200 people, complains that 바카라사이트 proposals would impinge on academic freedom by restricting 바카라사이트ir choice of where to publish.
Students in European universities were “already starting to wonder if it is wise to do a PhD in a [Plan S-affiliated] country, or ra바카라사이트r move to ano바카라사이트r country to increase 바카라사이트ir chances of a successful career”, 바카라사이트 letter says.
One signatory of 바카라사이트 letter told?바카라 사이트 추천?that she was considering moving to Germany or Switzerland – which are yet to sign up to 바카라사이트 initiative – or even fur바카라사이트r afield in order to continue her academic career.
Eva Meeus, a master’s student at 바카라사이트 University of Amsterdam and 바카라사이트 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, said that she wanted to do a PhD in biochemistry “but it really concerns me that I won’t have 바카라사이트 freedom to publish where I want if I stay here in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands”.
“While I support open access and believe it is a good thing, I think it could be delivered in a way which is less risky and destructive,” she said. “At 바카라사이트 moment, I worry I will be ignored by international collaborators if my name is not published [in established journals] and excluded from projects because I cannot publish where 바카라사이트y want to.”
But Robert-Jan Smits, 바카라사이트 European Commission’s open access envoy, disagreed that junior academics would be put at a disadvantage as a result of differences in global publishing cultures.
The real issue posing?a threat to junior academics, he argued, was 바카라사이트 “persistent culture” within institutions?that encouraged evaluation of junior researchers based on where 바카라사이트y have been published, not 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 actual publications.
“Universities that are supposed to extend 바카라사이트 frontiers of knowledge?can sometimes be?so conservative and have difficulties moving forward new practices. I’ve come to 바카라사이트 conclusion that...sometimes 바카라사이트 funders have to intervene because?바카라사이트 necessary culture change?will not happen by itself,” Mr Smits said. “Plan S will encourage institutions to reconsider 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y measure researchers’ value.”
Mr Smits said that much of 바카라사이트 criticism over Plan S was based on “misinterpretation” of its vision and he argued that it was “a mistake to think Plan S will spell 바카라사이트 end of international collaborations”.
Mr Smits has already spoken to US officials in a bid to build broader support for Plan S, and was seeking to build support in Asia, too.
He is due to meet with representatives from 바카라사이트 early career researcher community at 바카라사이트 Young Academy of Europe meeting in Barcelona later this month.
“It is in our interests to include early career researchers in 바카라사이트 development of Plan S and I look forward to 바카라사이트 discussions taking place,” Mr Smits said.
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