{"id":5223,"date":"2016-01-29T15:32:53","date_gmt":"2016-01-29T14:32:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2016\/01\/29\/open-access-slaat-aan-ook-in-andere-landen\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:18","slug":"open-access-slaat-aan-ook-in-andere-landen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2016\/01\/29\/open-access-slaat-aan-ook-in-andere-landen\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Open access is a hit in other countries, as well\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In Europe as elsewhere, politicians are increasingly convinced that the results of scientific research must be freely accessible to everyone, said State Secretary of Education, Sander Dekker. \u2018Two of three years ago, we were trendsetters.\u2019<\/p>\n

This week, European politicians tasked with research and innovation met in Amsterdam, on which occasion, State Secretary Dekker once again stood up for\u00a0open access\u00a0in science, i.e. the principle that the results of scientific research must be freely accessible to everyone.<\/p>\n

Are you still having to convince your colleagues that open access is a good thing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, not really, by this stage. Two or three years ago, the Netherlands and Great Britain were trendsetters in this debate, but now we\u2019re getting to the point where policy makers and universities are increasingly convinced that this is the way to go. The main question left to answer is, how do we go about it? Over the next five months, while the Netherlands holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, we will seek to formulate realistic ambitions which will help universities negotiate with major publishers.\u201d<\/p>\n

So you\u2019re trying to steer the market in the right direction?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one way to put it, but it helps that the universities have now realised how important this is. We are now having discussions with publishers at the executive level. It\u2019s no longer Directors of Library Services who are negotiating the terms of journal subscriptions, but rather university chancellors. Dutch universities have struck a great deal with Springer publishers, and Elsevier, too, is now taking steps towards open access, for the first time ever. If and when European universities start co-operating, they will get even more done. LERU, the League of European Research Universities, gave us a petition signed by about ten thousand eminent researchers saying, \u201cDo something about this.\u201d To me, that is a sign our efforts are being widely supported.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are you hoping to achieve within Europe?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThat open access will play a more significant role. Last Tuesday night, Bill Gates gave a speech on open access, at our invitation. His Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which funds research into infectious diseases, among other things, requires that scientists \u2013 brilliant scientists from all over the world \u2013 be able to use the results of this research. Especially in Africa.\u00a0The terms and conditions for EU funding now state that scientists must put the results of their studies at the public\u2019s disposal \u201cas soon as possible\u201d, but this wording leaves some room for long embargo periods [during which, articles can only be read for a fee, red.]. The EU\u2019s provisions are less far-reaching than Dutch research funder NWO\u2019s, which now stipulate that the outcomes of NWO- funded studies must be published in an open-access journal at once.\u201d<\/p>\n

So if your colleagues are all convinced open access is a good thing, what\u2019s the problem? Why are venerable journals such as Nature and Science still so influential?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something to do with young scientists\u2019 careers. After all, how are their publications judged? If young scientists are given the opportunity to publish in Nature <\/em>or\u00a0Science<\/em>, who are we to rob them of such opportunities? Of course they want to be published by such journals. I understand that completely. It\u2019s very tempting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is it an advantage that the Netherlands currently holds the presidency of the Council of the EU?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHolding the presidency has both advantages and disadvantages. It\u2019s giving us the opportunity to put the subject on the agenda. In April, we will host a large conference on open science. However, as the president of the Council, we are supposed to be honest brokers. At meetings like this, my job is to ensure that we arrive at solid \u201cconclusions\u201d. I can\u2019t spend all day defending Dutch positions. But one thing is for sure \u2013 open access is a hit, with my colleagues in other countries as well as in the Netherlands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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