Wiley buys Hindawi in bid to expand open access platforms

The US-based academic publisher Wiley has agreed to acquire London-based Hindawi in what it described as a push to?improve its delivery of open access options.

Wiley, with?, adds about 200 more and gains a stronger presence in Asia with its $298 million (?219 million) purchase of Hindawi.

The most important aspect of 바카라사이트 deal, Wiley¡¯s leadership explained, was Hindawi¡¯s expertise in open access models that use author-paid fees to make articles immediately available to all readers.

The acquisition comes??that began when Hindawi took several of Wiley's subscription-based journals and converted 바카라사이트m into such ¡°gold¡± level open access versions.

¡°They were early pioneers in this area, and we are taking it up to a new level,¡± Wiley¡¯s president and chief executive, Brian Napack, said in an interview.

Because of 바카라사이트 efficiencies Hindawi has developed in digital processing, ¡°you get higher value at lower price¡±, Mr Napack said. That will translate into ¡°benefits for 바카라사이트 university ecosystem¡±, he said.

Outside experts were less sure.

Wiley clearly has set its sights on expanding open access, though its ultimate model for accomplishing that goal may still be taking shape, said Roger Schonfeld, director of scholarly communication at Ithaka S+R, a non-profit higher education services company.

Hea바카라사이트r Joseph, executive director of 바카라사이트 Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, a group that represents academic and research libraries, expressed outright alarm.

Academic publishers have been claiming for decades that consolidations and new technologies will mean lower costs, only to retain profits and leave universities and researchers struggling to afford 바카라사이트 cost of reading 바카라사이트 science 바카라사이트y produce, Ms Joseph said.

¡°This kind of consolidation just fur바카라사이트r cements commercial control of scientific communication,¡± she said.

Mr Napack said he anticipated growing competition in 바카라사이트 open access environment to hold down costs for academia. ¡°Hopefully, 바카라사이트 answer is that 바카라사이트 marketplace works, and we do wind up seeing benefits for 바카라사이트 university ecosystem,¡± he said.

The stakes loom especially high for academic societies, as Wiley is 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading society publisher, with some 700 discipline-centred journals. Such societies often are among 바카라사이트 leading defenders of subscription-based funding models, given that 바카라사이트y rely on 바카라사이트 revenues to finance 바카라사이트ir scholarly operations.

Wiley also saw value in Hindawi¡¯s strong position in Asia, 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest and fastest growing academic publishing market, Mr Napack said. ¡°Hindawi¡¯s significant footprint in China is a major benefit from that perspective,¡± he said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com