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Open Science Beyond Open Access: For and with Communities, A Step Towards the Decolonization of Knowledge

Open Science Beyond Open Access: For and with Communities, A Step Towards the Decolonization of Knowledge

UNESCO is launching international consultations aimed at developing a Recommendation on Open Science for adoption by member states in 2021. Its Recommendation will include a common definition, a shared set of values, and proposals for action. At the invitation of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, this paper aims to contribute to the consultation process by answering questions such as: • Why and how should science be "open"? For and with whom? • Is it simply a matter of making scientific articles and data fully available to researchers around the world at the time of publication, so they do not miss important results that could contribute to or accelerate their work? • Could this openness also enable citizens around the world to contribute to science with their capacities and expertise, such as through citizen science or participatory action research projects? • Does science that is truly open include a plurality of ways of knowing, including those of Indigenous cultures, Global South cultures, and other excluded, marginalized groups in the Global North? The paper has four sections: "Open Science and the pandemic" introduces and explores different forms of openness during a crisis where science suddenly seems essential to the well-being of all. The next three sections explain the main dimensions of three forms of scientific openness: openness to publications and data, openness to society, and openness to excluded knowledges2 and epistemologies3. We conclude with policy considerations. A French version of this paper is available here: https://zenodo.org/record/3947013#.Xw-Ksx17nOQ

US Stays Away As World Leaders Agree Action on Covid-19 Vaccine

US Stays Away As World Leaders Agree Action on Covid-19 Vaccine

Global leaders have pledged to accelerate cooperation on a coronavirus vaccine and to share research, treatment and medicines across the globe. But the United States did not take part.

Strengthening Capacity for Natural Sciences Research in African Research Institutions

Strengthening Capacity for Natural Sciences Research in African Research Institutions

A qualitative assessment to identify good practices, capacity gaps and investment priorities, whose results could serve as strategic investment targets for the joint efforts of national governments and international organisations that fund programmes for strengthening research capacity in low- and middle-income countries.

COVID-19: Funding Bodies Around the World Pledge New Money for Virus Research

COVID-19: Funding Bodies Around the World Pledge New Money for Virus Research

Research charities Wellcome Trust and the Gates Foundation announced they are joining forces with the credit card company MasterCard in a $125 million push to speed up development of drugs for treating COVID-19 infections, in the latest example of the rush to fund research into the novel coronavirus.

Why Do People Migrate In Europe? A New Online Tool Explains

Why Do People Migrate In Europe? A New Online Tool Explains

Universities and research organisations have joined forces to develop a new interactive tool that explores how free movement has affected EU economies and societies.

How China's New Policy May Change Researchers' Publishing Behavior

How China's New Policy May Change Researchers' Publishing Behavior

A researcher from the Wuhan University of China offers a view of how Chinese researchers are reacting and are likely to alter their behavior in response to new policies governing research evaluation.

Nature Risk Rising: Why the Crisis Engulfing Nature Matters for Business and the Economy

Nature Risk Rising: Why the Crisis Engulfing Nature Matters for Business and the Economy

This New Nature Economy report calls out the dependency and impact of business on nature and aims to ensure that biodiversity and nature-related risks are appropriately considered within the broader economic growth agenda.

UNESCO Launches a Global Consultation to Develop a Standard-setting Instrument on Open Science

UNESCO Launches a Global Consultation to Develop a Standard-setting Instrument on Open Science

In the context of pressing planetary and socio-economic challenges, sustainable and innovative solutions must be supported by an efficient, transparent and vibrant scientific effort - not only stemming from the scientific community, but from the whole society. Go directly to the questionnaire.

Project to Explore Open Access Agreements Between Society Publishers and Library Consortia in Developing and Transition Economy Countries

Project to Explore Open Access Agreements Between Society Publishers and Library Consortia in Developing and Transition Economy Countries

The new project will run during the first half of 2020. It is supported by Wellcome Trust, led by Information …

'Opportunity Lost' As Longest Climate Talks End

'Opportunity Lost' As Longest Climate Talks End

Exhausted delegates postponed tricky issues. The weak rules on a market based mechanism, promoted by Brazil and Australia, that would have undermined efforts to reduce emissions have been shelved and the fight can continue next year at COP26 in Glasgow.

Congress Creates Two New Bodies to Tackle Foreign Influence on U.S. Research

Congress Creates Two New Bodies to Tackle Foreign Influence on U.S. Research

Congress is set to approve a major defense bill that would establish two new high-level bodies aimed at preventing foreign governments from unfairly exploiting the U.S.

Economic Sanctions and Academia: Overlooked Impact and Long-term Consequences

Economic Sanctions and Academia: Overlooked Impact and Long-term Consequences

Sanctions place "invisible barriers" for research by limiting access to necessary resources and curtailing their effective use. This paper presents a national survey of Sudanese academics focused on the impact of 20 years of economic sanctions. It identifies key areas that have been impacted by international sanctions, and highlights how the impact on academia is likely to persist long after they are formally lifted.