Science Foundation Ireland's Open Access mandate became effective from February 1st 2009.
The policy is clearly outlined on the SFI website under 'Grant policies'. The full text of the policy is available here.
It covers peer-reviewed papers, conference papers, reports, monographs and datasets and generally follows the EURAB recomendations.
Now all Irish funding councils but one have open access policies: the Higher Education Authority (HEA), the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Health Research Board (HRB)). The HRB has OA recommendations which are expected to become mandatory later this year. All of the others have Open Access mandates in line with the EURAB recommendations. Apparently discussions are underway in IRCHSS which is now the only Irish funding council without an open access policy.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Higher Education Authority adopts OA mandate
Following a public consultation earlier this year, Ireland's Higher Education Authority has adopted an Open Access mandate effective from June 30th 2008. The HEA is the second major Irish research funder to adopt an OA mandate - the first was IRCSET with an OA mandate effective from May 1st this year. Both mandates are 'in keeping with the recommendations of the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB) Policy in relation to scientific publication' and 'with the combined OECD Ministers’ Declaration entrusting the OECD to work towards commonly agreed Principles and Guidelines on Access to Research Data from Public Funding'.
Also in common with the IRCSET mandate, the HEA requires deposit in an open access repository (ideally an institutional repository) upon acceptance for publication; repositories should release the metadata immediately, with access restrictions to the full text paper to be applied as required - but open access to the fulltext paper must be available not later than six months after publication.
Further information will be available shortly from the HEA website. Meanwhile the fulltext of the HEA mandate is available below (with thanks to Dr Gemma Irvine, Manager, Research Programmes, HEA):
Also in common with the IRCSET mandate, the HEA requires deposit in an open access repository (ideally an institutional repository) upon acceptance for publication; repositories should release the metadata immediately, with access restrictions to the full text paper to be applied as required - but open access to the fulltext paper must be available not later than six months after publication.
Further information will be available shortly from the HEA website. Meanwhile the fulltext of the HEA mandate is available below (with thanks to Dr Gemma Irvine, Manager, Research Programmes, HEA):
HIGHER EDUCATION AUTHORITY POLICY RELATING TO:
THE OPEN ACCESS REPOSITORY OF PUBLISHED RESEARCH
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has established and will promote the following policy relating to the placement of research publications in Open Access repositories.
Where a research publication arises in whole or in part from HEA funded research (i.e. where one or other of the researchers concerned receives HEA funds in support of their endeavours), the following policy will be adhered to with effect from 30th June 2008.
APPLICABLE TO HEA FUNDED RESEARCHERS
The HEA policy is adopted on the following key principles:
The intellectual effectiveness and progress of the widespread research community may be continually enhanced where the community has access and recourse to as wide a range of shared knowledge and findings as possible. This is particularly the case in the realm of publicly funded research where there is a need to ensure the advancement of scientific research and innovation in the interests of society and the economy, without unnecessary duplication of research effort.
- This publication policy confirms the freedom of researchers to publish first wherever they feel is the most appropriate.
- The effect of the policy is intended to increase the visibility of, and improve access to, the research funded by HEA and the State, where such research is intended to be published by the researcher(s) concerned.
- The policy is based on recognised best practice. It is in keeping with the recommendations of the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB) Policy in relation to scientific publication. It is also in keeping with the combined OECD Ministers’ Declaration entrusting the OECD to work towards commonly agreed Principles and Guidelines on Access to Research Data from Public Funding.
Conditions to which HEA funded award recipients should adhere:
- All researchers must lodge their publications resulting in whole or in part from HEA-funded research in an open access repository as soon as is practical after publication, and to be made openly accessible within 6 calendar months at the latest, subject to copyright agreement.
- The repository should ideally be a local institutional repository to which the appropriate rights must be granted to replicate to other repositories.
- Authors should deposit post-prints (or publisher’s version if permitted) plus metadata of articles accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and international conference proceedings.
- Deposit should be made upon acceptance by the journal/conference. Repositories should release the metadata immediately, with access restrictions to full text article to be applied as required. Open access should be available as soon as is practicable but not later than six months after publication.
- Suitable repositories should make provision for long-term preservation of, and free public access to, published research findings.
- Books and book chapters are not covered by such repositories but the following condition applies in such cases. When a book goes out of print or four years following publication, whichever is sooner, and the publisher does not foresee a further print run or availability online for the work within a six-month period, then authors should make the work available online in an open and accessible way.
- Metadata has already been noted under point 3. Data in general should as far as is feasible be made openly accessible, in keeping with best practice for reproducibility of scientific results.
- Software, together with methods and algorithms, are not directly covered by Open Access repositories. However in keeping with best practice of scientific reproducibility key scientific results should be made available openly.
- HEA may augment or amend the above requirements wherever necessary to ensure best practice in Open Access.
How does Open Access work?
An Open Access repository is a storage and retrieval system where published research findings and papers would be stored and made available for full, open and free access by the research community and the general public.
A number of Irish universities currently provide open access repositories of their own and a consortium of the seven Irish universities is engaged in the development of a national open access repository system, i.e., connecting the repositories of each participating institution for fuller public accessibility as funded by SIF.
In an Open Access repository system, the usual copyright and fair practice considerations are not waived and publication on Open Access does not preclude prior publication in a recognised research journal or commercial publication.
Making scholarly publications available on Open Access allows them to be freely accessed by anyone worldwide using an internet connection. The potential readership of Open Access material is far greater than that for publications where the full text is restricted to subscribers only. Open Access repositories are also designed to expose the details of their contents to web search engines.
Ends
Friday, November 23, 2007
Council of European Union Adopts Conclusions on Access, Dissemination & Preservation
Today the Council of the European Union adopted "Council Conclusions on scientific information in the digital age: access, dissemination and preservation" during the 2832nd Competitiveness Council meeting held in Brussels on 22-23 November 2007.
The Council has issued clear invitations to member states and to the Commission to develop policies and actions on the dissemination of scientific and research information (including datasets) and on digital preservation. No sign of a mandate though...
The press version of the Conclusions can be accessed here
The Council has issued clear invitations to member states and to the Commission to develop policies and actions on the dissemination of scientific and research information (including datasets) and on digital preservation. No sign of a mandate though...
The press version of the Conclusions can be accessed here
Friday, September 14, 2007
Irish Research Council Proposes OA Mandate in line with EURAB Recommendations
The first Irish research funding council to propose an Open Access mandate is the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET). Today IRCSET has invited submissions from the research community, and other interested parties, regarding a proposed IRCSET policy on Open Access to Publications, stating:
"IRCSET intends to put in place a policy whereby researchers will be required to make their publications available on an open access basis - where these result in whole or in part from IRCSET funded research - as soon as possible after publication. The requirement will be that these should be made openly accessible within a period of 6 months at the latest following initial publication."
The proposed policy is in line with the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB) Policy in relation to scientific publication. Further details on the EURAB Policy are available here.
IRCSET invites all interested parties (including organisations and individuals) to make their views known.
The closing date for opinions or submissions is Friday 28th September, 2007. Further information is available at this link.
In proposing this mandate, IRCSET joins with other important funders of research internationally (Wellcome Trust, UK Research Councils, etc.) in seeking to maximise the impact of the research it funds through the widest possible dissemination of its research outputs. A list of international research finders who have adopted Open Access mandates is available here.
The IRCSET webpage provides information on the supporting infrastructure for Open Access currently being developed in Irish universities: "A consortium of Irish universities is now engaged in the development of the Irish Universities Association Libraries National Research Portal – an open access repository system connecting the repositories of each participating institution for fuller public accessibility..." and goes on to state: "the IUA Librarians are committed to supporting Irish researchers to make their research papers available on open access and each institution will provide, to the best of its ability, assistance in copyright clearance, deposit of papers and other matters of possible concern."
"IRCSET intends to put in place a policy whereby researchers will be required to make their publications available on an open access basis - where these result in whole or in part from IRCSET funded research - as soon as possible after publication. The requirement will be that these should be made openly accessible within a period of 6 months at the latest following initial publication."
The proposed policy is in line with the European Research Advisory Board (EURAB) Policy in relation to scientific publication. Further details on the EURAB Policy are available here.
IRCSET invites all interested parties (including organisations and individuals) to make their views known.
The closing date for opinions or submissions is Friday 28th September, 2007. Further information is available at this link.
In proposing this mandate, IRCSET joins with other important funders of research internationally (Wellcome Trust, UK Research Councils, etc.) in seeking to maximise the impact of the research it funds through the widest possible dissemination of its research outputs. A list of international research finders who have adopted Open Access mandates is available here.
The IRCSET webpage provides information on the supporting infrastructure for Open Access currently being developed in Irish universities: "A consortium of Irish universities is now engaged in the development of the Irish Universities Association Libraries National Research Portal – an open access repository system connecting the repositories of each participating institution for fuller public accessibility..." and goes on to state: "the IUA Librarians are committed to supporting Irish researchers to make their research papers available on open access and each institution will provide, to the best of its ability, assistance in copyright clearance, deposit of papers and other matters of possible concern."
Sunday, February 18, 2007
European Commission Communication on Access to Scientific Information
The European Commission has adopted a Communication on access to scientific information in the digital age. The Communication announces a series of measures on how the Commission will deal with open access in FP7 funded projects - and how it will use its funding programmes to improve the access to and the preservation of scientific information. The following measures will be adopted:
A. ACCESS TO COMMUNITY FUNDED RESEARCH RESULTS
– Costs for publishing, including open access publishing, defined as eligible costs in
Community funded research projects.
– Specific guidelines to be issued, within specific programmes, on the publication of articles
in open repositories.
B. CO-FUNDING THROUGH COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES
– Approximately €50 million for work on infrastructures, in particular digital repositories, in
2007-2008.
– Approximately €25 million for digital preservation and collaborative tools in 2007-2008.
– Approximately €10 million on access to and use of scientific information through
eContentplus programme.
C. INPUT FOR THE FUTURE POLICY DEBATE
– Study on the economic aspects of digital preservation.
– Funding of research on publication business models and on the scientific publication
system.
D. POLICY CO-ORDINATION AND DEBATE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
– Deliberations in the European Parliament and Council; further discussions with
stakeholders.
– Exchange of good practices for new models of access to, dissemination of, and
preservation of scientific information.
Related documents are available here - the Staff Working Paper is useful and comprehensive.
A. ACCESS TO COMMUNITY FUNDED RESEARCH RESULTS
– Costs for publishing, including open access publishing, defined as eligible costs in
Community funded research projects.
– Specific guidelines to be issued, within specific programmes, on the publication of articles
in open repositories.
B. CO-FUNDING THROUGH COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES
– Approximately €50 million for work on infrastructures, in particular digital repositories, in
2007-2008.
– Approximately €25 million for digital preservation and collaborative tools in 2007-2008.
– Approximately €10 million on access to and use of scientific information through
eContentplus programme.
C. INPUT FOR THE FUTURE POLICY DEBATE
– Study on the economic aspects of digital preservation.
– Funding of research on publication business models and on the scientific publication
system.
D. POLICY CO-ORDINATION AND DEBATE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
– Deliberations in the European Parliament and Council; further discussions with
stakeholders.
– Exchange of good practices for new models of access to, dissemination of, and
preservation of scientific information.
Related documents are available here - the Staff Working Paper is useful and comprehensive.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
TARA-Derived Teaching/Learning Resources - Test
TARA meets Flickr!
Repository interoperability is a hot issue internationally and a number of important projects are currently underway in this area. Meanwhile we have an immediate practical need to learn about the potential for linkages between the primary research resources deposited in TARA and the university's teaching needs 'on the ground'. A seamless interface between Dspace-based TARA, the College VLE (WebCT or equivalent) and the National Digital Learning Repository (NDLR) would be great, but before thinking about building system solutions we need to understand more about the needs and behaviours of potential users.
Selected images from the Nicholas K. Robinson Collection of Caricature have been uploaded from TARA directly to Flickr (via Flock). This is a test demo examining a Web 2.0 method - quick, simple, user-generated and free! - of repurposing TARA repository-based resources for use in teaching. This method allows direct upload of the web images as they are being viewed in TARA, and image cropping, rotation, addition of description and tagging at the point of upload using the Flock browser's special features. The usual Flickr facilities may be used as required: addition of notes to image, creation of 'sets', creation of slideshows, facility for comments by viewers/students, restrictions on access. There's an even faster way to do this: downloading Bill Conan's handy Firefox extension allows you to right-click an image in TARA (or any website), and send it straight to your Flickr account.
The advantage is simple and pretty basic: a learning resource is built 'on-the-fly' as a lecturer browses images in TARA. The Flickr slideshow link may be subsequently added to WebCT & Moodle courses and deposited in the NDLR as a reusable learning object. Of course, there are more high-tech/better ways to achieve this kind of thing - this is just a zero-cost start for us to explore the spaces within and between these systems. (The demo is for the TCD School of Histories and Humanities Digital Image Project).
Repository interoperability is a hot issue internationally and a number of important projects are currently underway in this area. Meanwhile we have an immediate practical need to learn about the potential for linkages between the primary research resources deposited in TARA and the university's teaching needs 'on the ground'. A seamless interface between Dspace-based TARA, the College VLE (WebCT or equivalent) and the National Digital Learning Repository (NDLR) would be great, but before thinking about building system solutions we need to understand more about the needs and behaviours of potential users.
Selected images from the Nicholas K. Robinson Collection of Caricature have been uploaded from TARA directly to Flickr (via Flock). This is a test demo examining a Web 2.0 method - quick, simple, user-generated and free! - of repurposing TARA repository-based resources for use in teaching. This method allows direct upload of the web images as they are being viewed in TARA, and image cropping, rotation, addition of description and tagging at the point of upload using the Flock browser's special features. The usual Flickr facilities may be used as required: addition of notes to image, creation of 'sets', creation of slideshows, facility for comments by viewers/students, restrictions on access. There's an even faster way to do this: downloading Bill Conan's handy Firefox extension allows you to right-click an image in TARA (or any website), and send it straight to your Flickr account.
The advantage is simple and pretty basic: a learning resource is built 'on-the-fly' as a lecturer browses images in TARA. The Flickr slideshow link may be subsequently added to WebCT & Moodle courses and deposited in the NDLR as a reusable learning object. Of course, there are more high-tech/better ways to achieve this kind of thing - this is just a zero-cost start for us to explore the spaces within and between these systems. (The demo is for the TCD School of Histories and Humanities Digital Image Project).
technorati tags:Dspace, Flickr, Horses, Political Cartoons
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Scientific Publishing in the European Research Area: Access, Dissemination and Preservation in the Digital Age
On 15 and 16 February 2007 the European Commission will host a conference in Brussels on scientific publication issues.The goal of the conference is to bring together stakeholders concerned with access, dissemination and preservation issues in connection with scientific publication and data in an effort to provide policy options for scientific publishing under FP7 and in the European Research Area. Both the Commissioner for Science and Research, Mr. Potočnik and the Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Ms. Reding will be speaking at the event.
Research - Science and Society
technorati tags:Open, Access, Scholarly, Scientific, Publishing
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