Open Access: A Moral Imperative for Progress

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Imagine a world where a universal vaccine against cancer is developed and its details are freely available to researchers worldwide through an Open Access (OA) publication. Such a world is possible, and more than that, we have a moral duty to make it a reality.

The benefits of Open Access
OA promotes and facilitates Open Science within an open market, centered on authors. By offering scholars a robust, transparent and affordable service for efficiently disseminating their research findings, we can best support scientific progress. The issue with traditional scientific journals is one of access. Traditionally, these journals have been funded via subscriptions paid by academic institutions, which means only members of subscribing institutions can consult their pages. OA, on the other hand, makes new research findings available to everyone, irrespective of job title or affiliation. The benefits of this model were particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the global scientific community was able to rapidly learn about the virus and adapt.

The benefits of this model were particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the global scientific community was able to rapidly learn about the virus and adapt.

Democratizing scientific communication
The democratizing impulse in scientific communication is nothing new. OA may seem like a recent innovation, but its principles have historical roots traceable to Europe in the 15th century. Just as the printing revolution accelerated the dissemination of new ideas, OA publishing unlocks new scientific insights that would otherwise only be accessible to a few.

Just as the printing revolution accelerated the dissemination of new ideas, OA publishing unlocks new scientific insights that would otherwise only be accessible to a few.

In 2020 OA publishing outperformed subscription-based publishing for the first time, marking a major milestone in its evolution. This trend continued in 2023, with nearly 65% of papers published in OA (source: Dimensions).

Benefits for scholars: amplifying impact through Open Access
Authors publishing in an OA journal can expect more citations of their work, increasing its potential impact. Research findings that are freely available are more likely to be cited than those hidden behind a paywall. Freedom of access greatly increases the potential audience for each paper, fostering a sense of community among researchers worldwide. Heightened visibility can attract prospective collaborators and employers for young scientists. At MDPI, we believe that all these factors can only accelerate the advance of science. Additionally, authors retain copyright of their work instead of signing it away, permitting broader dissemination under Creative Commons licenses and increasing its capacity for impact.

The democratizing impulse in scientific communication is nothing new

Open Access in action: driving innovation and global cooperation
Several recent EU-funded initiatives exemplify the transformative impact of OA:

The Human Brain Project: with over €1 billion in funding, it has published over 500 OA papers, facilitating global collaboration in neuroscience and advancing research in critical diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The European Space Agency’s Climate Change Initiative: providing open access to data on the climate and supporting informed decision-making and policy development – crucial factors in the battle against climate change.
The European Organization for Nuclear Research: ensures that all publications are freely available, fostering international collaboration and advancing our understanding of the universe.

OA is a key component of Open Science, which we, at MDPI, see as essential for crafting informed policies targeting real-world problems.

Funding and future prospects: securing Europe’s scientific leadership
It is concerning to see levels of science funding in Europe falling behind other OECD nations, with significant disparities evident across EU nations. Harmonizing research funding throughout Europe is crucial for achieving the Europe 2020 goal of increasing research spending to 3% of GDP. OA can help bridge these gaps, ensuring scientific knowledge is accessible to all, regardless of economic status.

We need to empower our scientists and communities to make informed decisions, drive sustainable progress, and build a more inclusive and resilient society.

FP10, the EU member states’ framework programme 10, includes a vision for the EU to be a global research and innovation powerhouse by 2034, backed by a proposed budget of €200 billion. This budget must be used intelligently and in forward-thinking ways. Governments, academic institutions and the private sector must prioritize the open dissemination of knowledge if the EU is to achieve that vision. We need to empower our scientists and communities to make informed decisions, drive sustainable progress, and build a more inclusive and resilient society.

Our capacity to generate transformative scientific insights has to be democratized

The moral imperative
OA is not just a matter of scientific policy; it is a fundamental right for all citizens and a prerequisite for a brighter, more informed future. Publicly funded research should be a top priority, and I am pleased to see policy moving in this direction. Our capacity to generate transformative scientific insights has to be democratized. The question today is no longer whether we can afford to embrace OA; rather, it is whether we can afford not to.

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