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University of Sunderland Library

Open Research and Scholarly Communications

Understanding Open Access, using SURE, and support for academic publishing

International Open Access Week 2025

A promotional image showing the Open Access logo with the title: 'Who owns our knowledge?'

Open Access Week is an annual international event that aims to highlight the benefits and successes of Open Access.  Each year, the event focuses on a particular theme.

The theme of this year's International Open Access Week builds on the previous one: 'Community over Commercialization', and asks what these scholarly communities can do to retain control over the knowledge they produce.

The question of 'who owns our knowledge' is timely, and aligns with the University's recent adoption of a Rights Retention policy, which encourages authors to retain rights to the work they produce.

The 2025 theme asks a pointed question about the present moment and how, in a time of disruption, communities can reassert control over the knowledge they produce

International Open Access Week 2025 at University of Sunderland

Join us for a series of events to mark Open Access Week, both in-person and online.

It's a chance for you to discuss any aspects of open access and open research; in particular, how these issues affect you.

  • Monday 20th October 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.
  • Tuesday 21st October 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.
  • Wednesday 22nd October 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.
  • Thursday 23rd October 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.
  • Friday 24th October 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.