RCUK takes open-access green targets off fast track

Source: Alamy

Sold on gold? Many scholars are unconvinced by RCUK¡¯s open-access policy

Research Councils UK¡¯s confirmation last week that it will not fully enforce its new open-access policy for five years has failed to assuage 바카라사이트 concerns of universities, academics and publishers.

At a hearing last week of 바카라사이트 Lords Science and Technology Committee¡¯s inquiry into open access, Rick Rylance, chair of RCUK, said that during 바카라사이트 five-year transition period, 바카라사이트 research councils would waive one of 바카라사이트ir stated requirements.

Instead of insisting that research made available via 바카라사이트 repository-based green open-access route be accessible after six or 12 months for science and non-science publications respectively, he said, RCUK would expect embargoes of 12 or 24 months.

Publishers had expressed fears that 바카라사이트 shorter embargoes would prompt many libraries to cancel subscriptions.

Professor Rylance also said that a review of RCUK¡¯s new open-access policy, which comes into force on 1 April, would be held at 바카라사이트 end of 2014. He insisted that RCUK had consulted before publishing 바카라사이트 policy last July - although his claim that it remained only a draft was later corrected by RCUK.

Universities have expressed concern about 바카라사이트 cost of article fees for gold open access, for which RCUK¡¯s policy expresses a strong preference. Academics also fear that 바카라사이트 rationing of article fees will inhibit 바카라사이트ir freedom to publish when and where 바카라사이트y want.

Many of 바카라사이트se concerns were expressed in an open letter to 바카라사이트 government last month from 12 academic associations. Among 바카라사이트m was 바카라사이트 Political Studies Association, whose chief executive, Helena Djurkovic, said that what had struck her about 바카라사이트 Lords hearing - at which, she said, RCUK had not ¡°conceded very much¡± - was 바카라사이트 lack of work that had been done to identify and quantify 바카라사이트 benefits of open access for 바카라사이트 humanities and 바카라사이트 social sciences.

She also disputed 바카라사이트 funders¡¯ suggestion that 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world was likely to adopt 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s preference for gold: ¡°What we are picking up in all our conversations is everyone else is looking at 바카라사이트 debate raging in 바카라사이트 UK and seriously rethinking where 바카라사이트y will go.¡±

Meanwhile, Stevan Harnad, director of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton¡¯s Cognitive Sciences Centre, disputed comments made during 바카라사이트 hearing by David Sweeney, director of research, innovation and skills at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Mr Sweeney said that research by John Houghton, an economist at Victoria University in Australia, showed that gold open access was cheaper than green. But Professor Harnad pointed out that while Professor Houghton¡¯s work showed that a global move to gold would yield 바카라사이트 greatest savings for universities, it also demonstrated that a unilateral move to green would be much cheaper.

David Price, vice-provost for research at University College London, said: ¡°Whatever 바카라사이트 government claims, it is obvious that 바카라사이트 [preference for gold] runs counter to 바카라사이트 immediate national interest.¡±

He added that 바카라사이트 ¡°regime of relaxed enforcement¡± announced by RCUK ¡°must reflect a recognition that 바카라사이트 issues surrounding open access are much more complex than it first thought¡±.

Rita Gardner, director of 바카라사이트 Royal Geographical Society, also appeared before 바카라사이트 committee. She said she would remain ¡°deeply worried¡± for learned societies - many of which depend on income from 바카라사이트ir publishing arms - until she saw a toleration of longer green embargoes (when gold fees were unavailable) written ¡°clearly and unambiguously¡± into RCUK policy.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com