This year, the team behind Open Access Week encourages us to consider issues pertaining to who has access to academic research and how or by whom that access is being managed. It also invites us to reflect on who creates that knowledge, and how it is created. Are some voices more recognised or emphasised than others in current systems?
In the context of UK HE, it is a pointed question as JISC is currently negotiating for more equitable access to resources and to open access publishing with the ‘big five’ commercial academic publishers (Springer, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Sage and Wiley). They have labelled those negotiations “next generation Open Access” and aim to improve the way in which current read and publish agreements (transitional agreements) work.
It is also a pointed question as REF2029 encourages the adoption of rights retention practices in UK HE (see Open Access policy §3.2.5). Rights retention is a growing movement across the world with Harvard University being the first to adopt a rights retention policy in 2008. In the UK, universities are adopting rights retention policies at pace. The aim is for authors to retain rights to their own work instead of giving it away to publishers and to promote adopting licenses ensuring re-use is possible. The University of Sunderland has recently adopted such a policy which will come into force from January 1, 2026.
For access to knowledge to be free of prejudice and bias. It must be accessible to all communities, including readers and authors, without barriers and paywalls. (The Toluca-Cape Town Declaration 2024)
Authors are also encouraged to prefer non-commercial and community-based endeavors to publish. The role of authors is crucial in changing the current academic publishing landscape. The choices we make about where to publish our research will influence whether we can create a new model that is more equitable and embraces both the UNESCO declaration on Open Science (2021) and the Toluca-Cape Town Declaration (2024). Both declarations encourage authors to consider the importance of bibliodiversity and to support “not-for-profit, academic and scientific community-driven publishing models as a common good.” (UNESCO, 2021, p. 20). The authors of the Toluca-Cape Town declaration “affirm that diamond open access is driven by social justice, equity and inclusivity.
At the University of Sunderland, you can get involved with Open Access Week 2025
Engaging with Open Access Week is an opportunity to learn more and discuss these issues in the context of your research at the University of Sunderland. Come and chat with the Library's Research and Scholarly Communications team during our events this week.
October 20:
Join us in the Library Drop-In Space (Murray Health 212) from 12-2pm and play the ‘Open Access Alchemy Game’, a game on making publishing choices. Come play with us or just come along for a chat to discuss open research and open access. You do not have to stay the full two hours, just come along and stay as long as you want/can.
October 21:
Join us on Teams for an ‘Introducing our new Open Access Policy’ session, running 12-12.30pm and 1-1.30pm. For Teams sessions, please book your place via our calendar.
October 22:
Join us in Library at David Goldman Skills Room 1 (David Goldman 324) from 12-2pm and play the ‘Open Access Alchemy Game’, a game on making publishing choices. Come play with us or just come along for a chat to discuss open research and open access. You do not have to stay the full two hours, just come along and stay as long as you want/can.
October 23:
Join us on Teams for an ‘Introducing our new Open Access Policy’ session, running 12.30-1pm and 1.30-2pm. For Teams sessions, please book your place via our calendar.
October 24:
Join us on Teams for an ‘Open Access Week: Who owns our knowledge?’ session, running 1-1.45pm. For Teams sessions, please book your place via our calendar.
This year, the team behind Open Access Week encourages us to consider issues pertaining to who has access to academic research and how or by whom that access is being managed. It also invites us to reflect on who creates that knowledge, and how it is created. Are some voices more recognised or emphasised than others in current systems?
In the context of UK HE, it is a pointed question as JISC is currently negotiating for more equitable access to resources and to open access publishing with the ‘big five’ commercial academic publishers (Springer, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Sage and Wiley). They have labelled those negotiations “next generation Open Access” and aim to improve the way in which current read and publish agreements (transitional agreements) work.
It is also a pointed question as REF2029 encourages the adoption of rights retention practices in UK HE (see Open Access policy §3.2.5). Rights retention is a growing movement across the world with Harvard University being the first to adopt a rights retention policy in 2008. In the UK, universities are adopting rights retention policies at pace. The aim is for authors to retain rights to their own work instead of giving it away to publishers and to promote adopting licenses ensuring re-use is possible. The University of Sunderland has recently adopted such a policy which will come into force from January 1, 2026.
Authors are also encouraged to prefer non-commercial and community-based endeavors to publish. The role of authors is crucial in changing the current academic publishing landscape. The choices we make about where to publish our research will influence whether we can create a new model that is more equitable and embraces both the UNESCO declaration on Open Science (2021) and the Toluca-Cape Town Declaration (2024). Both declarations encourage authors to consider the importance of bibliodiversity and to support “not-for-profit, academic and scientific community-driven publishing models as a common good.” (UNESCO, 2021, p. 20). The authors of the Toluca-Cape Town declaration “affirm that diamond open access is driven by social justice, equity and inclusivity.
At the University of Sunderland, you can get involved with Open Access Week 2025
Engaging with Open Access Week is an opportunity to learn more and discuss these issues in the context of your research at the University of Sunderland. Come and chat with the Library's Research and Scholarly Communications team during our events this week.
October 20:
Join us in the Library Drop-In Space (Murray Health 212) from 12-2pm and play the ‘Open Access Alchemy Game’, a game on making publishing choices. Come play with us or just come along for a chat to discuss open research and open access. You do not have to stay the full two hours, just come along and stay as long as you want/can.
October 21:
Join us on Teams for an ‘Introducing our new Open Access Policy’ session, running 12-12.30pm and 1-1.30pm. For Teams sessions, please book your place via our calendar.
October 22:
Join us in Library at David Goldman Skills Room 1 (David Goldman 324) from 12-2pm and play the ‘Open Access Alchemy Game’, a game on making publishing choices. Come play with us or just come along for a chat to discuss open research and open access. You do not have to stay the full two hours, just come along and stay as long as you want/can.
October 23:
Join us on Teams for an ‘Introducing our new Open Access Policy’ session, running 12.30-1pm and 1.30-2pm. For Teams sessions, please book your place via our calendar.
October 24:
Join us on Teams for an ‘Open Access Week: Who owns our knowledge?’ session, running 1-1.45pm. For Teams sessions, please book your place via our calendar.