A study to assess the impact of Plan S on the global scholarly communication ecosystem: tender results

Posted on October 5, 2023 by OATP primary

“cOAlition S is pleased to announce that the tender process for a study to assess the impact of Plan S on the global scholarly communication ecosystem has been successfully completed. The tender has been awarded to scidecode science consulting, an international team of experts with extensive consulting experience and project work within the scholarly communication domain.

To assess the impact Plan S has had on the scholarly communication ecosystem and on facilitating research to be published Open Access, scidecode will follow a multifaceted approach, encompassing both quantitative econometrics and a qualitative methodology based on desk research, a comprehensive literature analysis, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders. These stakeholders will include research funders, advocates for institutional Open Access initiatives, publishers and researchers.

The study is anticipated to deliver valuable insights into the effectiveness of cOAlition S in achieving its objectives. and provide actionable recommendations to improve and expand upon these. The findings and recommendations are expected to be published in mid-2024….”

2023 Digital Infrastructure Insights Fund RFP – Ford Foundation

Posted on August 24, 2023 by peter.suber's bookmarks

“The D//F (Digital Infrastructure Insights Fund) is a multi-funder initiative by Ford Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Omidyar Network, Schmidt Futures and Open Collective sustaining a platform for researchers and practitioners to better understand how open digital infrastructure is built and deployed.

We’re creating a body of research and implementation insights that advance our goal to ensure a public commons of technology, sustainably developed and maintained, for the benefit of everyone….

More insights are needed to distinguish how this digital public good (=open code, policies and standards) and its creators can be supported best….

we are looking for analyses on how underlying free and open-source software (FOSS) interacts with politics, sovereign responsibilities, diverse economic sectors, and the advancement of knowledge in the sciences and beyond.
we aim to back the development of pertinent work that examines the convergence of open-source software and digital infrastructure with social movements focused on democracy, rights, justice, the environment and scientific research.
we seek to investigate the issue of under-maintenance and occasional undermining of FOSS, as well as explore any geographical or other disparities within the communities responsible for providing and sustaining these software components amid evolving regulatory and socio-technical circumstances….”

Consultancy to Develop National Research Repository for Zambia

Posted on August 11, 2023 by OATP primary

“UNICEF has now issued a Request for Proposals in order to select a supplier for the provisions of consultancy services to Develop National Research Repository BACKGROUND The Government of the Republic of Zambia is placing increasing emphasis on data and evidence for use in planning resource allocation and implementation of national development policies and programmes. This was evident in the development of the 8th National Development Plan and other downstream line nistry planning processes. The Ministry of National Development and Planning (MoFNP) uses evidence to set development priorities by identifying effective financing and implementation modalities to ensure achievement of intended development results Analysis of the country’s research and evaluation ecosystem, however, reveals significant data gaps Ministry of Finance and Nations Planning with support by UNICEF hosted a stakeholder workshop in 2022 to identify and agree on gaps and solutions. One of the biggest gaps defied in the data and research ecosystem is non-accessibility of data and research outputs for decision making by policy makers and advocacy itutions. There is a lack of coordination and linkage among key research stakeholders as demonstrated by fragmentation in the flow of data and research and evaluation outputs in the knowledge ecosysteen. Stakeholers work in silos in the production and dissemination of evidence which leach to hoth the underumisation of already existing research and evaluation evidence, and the duplication of work. Further, while a few nammers have repestones that are open, there is currently no online platform to coordinate open access research outputs national level hence limiting accessibility of both data and research and evaluation products to users. As a result, we are recruiting an institutional contractor to condum a date and endence workflow, culminating in a research repository. Objective of Consultancy The overall objective of the consultancy is design and develop a web-based knowledge sharing platform that will leverage on existing institutional repositories to upload and share research up to enhance owledge dissemination and evidence-based decision-making in Zambia. To develop ZaRR, the institution will undertake a scoping exercise of the research environment in the country to ascertain key stakeholders in the research ecosystem, assess the types of research outputs and how they are disseminated, establish which institutions have existing repositories and make recommendations on how they can he coordinated to enhance research access and utilisation through a national research repository. The institution will also recommend administrative responsibilities of key institutions in ZARR, and conduct capacity building of the administrative staff identified.”

30 new projects launch in Open Science Fund; new applications in July | NWO

Posted on July 13, 2023 by peter.suber's bookmarks

“In the first package of the second round of the Open Science Fund, 30 projects will receive a financial boost of up to EUR 50,000. This second round is particularly intended for project proposals aimed at further developing open science in fields or disciplines where it is not yet the norm, or projects that promote open science in a large group or community. This round is also intended for project proposals that promote collaboration between different organisations and disciplines and between academic and support staff….”

A study to assess the impact of Plan S on the global scholarly communication ecosystem: an Invitation to Tender (ITT) | Plan S

Posted on July 10, 2023 by peter.suber's bookmarks

“The European Science Foundation-Science Connect (ESF-SC), on behalf of cOAlition S, is seeking to engage the services of a consultant to undertake a study that assesses the impact Plan S has had on the global scholarly communication ecosystem and facilitating the transition to full and immediate open access (OA)….”

Open Infrastructure Fund: Questions to consider for a good application | Invest in Open Infrastructure, 4 July 2023

Posted on July 6, 2023 by OATP primary

“We are excited to hear that you plan to apply to the Open Infrastructure Fund! Below, we provide some guiding questions to help you think through and prepare for an application. What is the problem/need that the proposed work addresses? A main goal of the Open Infrastructure Fund is to address real needs in the community. In the proposal, please share your understanding of the needs of your community or the issue at hand – who is affected, what caused the issue, what is the evidence for the need, and what is the impact of not addressing it? How does the proposal align with the goals of the Fund? At IOI, we believe that in order for access and participation in research and scholarship to be equitable and inclusive, the tools that underpin them should be similarly designed. Therefore, in your application, please tell us how your proposed work will strengthen the resilience and sustainability of open infrastructure(s) and how this work would further equity in research. Consider the groups that being excluded or marginalized by the the ways that research and scholarly communication infrastructures are currently developed, maintained, implemented, or governed. Show how your proposal would seek to meaningfully and concretely advance their access and participation in research and scholarship. How is the proposed work open? Illustrate how your plan to build your project with a community of users, supporters, collaborators, and others impacted by the work….”

Call for libraries to participate in KOALA funding round – Public Knowledge Project

Posted on June 27, 2023 by peter.suber's bookmarks

“PKP partner TIB in Germany, is asking academic libraries to collectively fund seven open access journals from quantum physics, computer science, and mathematics in order to help these journals adhere to high publishing standards and to publish without author fees. PKP supports this approach and encourages those interested to answer the call for libraries to participate in the KOALA funding round by contacting TIB….”

What we are working on: 2023-06-09 | Invest in Open Infrastructure

Posted on June 9, 2023 by OATP primary

“We are now accepting proposal submissions for the IOI Open Infrastructure Fund. The fund aims to strengthen sustainability, resilience and increase the adoption of open infrastructure that underpins research and knowledge creation. 60% of the total fund amount of $130,000 has been ring-fenced for initiatives from Low and Middle-Income Economies (LMIEs). Read our English and Spanish blog posts for more application process and eligibility information. We also have set up office hours (bilingual) in June and July to provide a dedicated space for the IOI team to field any questions about the fund. The application deadline is July 31, 2023.

We are now less than a week away from our workshop in South Africa that will focus on how Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) can enhance the sustainability of research infrastructure in Africa. The workshop will happen on June 12, 2023, adjacent to the 2023 Open Repositories Conference in Somerset, South Africa….”

Convocatoria para la presentación de propuestas: Fondo de Infraestructura Abierta | fecha límite: 31 de julio de 2023 | Invest in Open Infrastructure

Posted on May 15, 2023 by OATP primary

English translation: “Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI) is excited to announce our upcoming funding call for the Open Infrastructure Fund, which marks the next step in our Collective Funding Pilot. This call will provide funding to projects that support the development of open research infrastructure services, with the aim of strengthening sustainability and resilience and increasing the adoption of open infrastructure that underpins research and knowledge creation. Open Infrastructure Fund (pilot) at a glance:

Areas: capacity building, strengthening community governance, critical shared infrastructure
Where you are based: anywhere in the world; 60% of these funds are reserved for individuals and organizations in Low and Middle Income Economies (LMIEs) and/or services that are widely adopted by communities in LMIEs.
Level of funding: 5,000-25,000 USD
Duration of award: projects of any duration up to 2 years, starting between November 1 and December 31, 2023.
Deadline for applications: July 31, 2023…”

Call for proposals: Open Infrastructure Fund ($5,000-25,000 USD) | Deadline for applications: July 31, 2023

Posted on May 15, 2023 by OATP primary

“Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI) is excited to announce our upcoming funding call for the Open Infrastructure Fund, which marks the next step in our Collective Funding Pilot. This call will provide funding to projects that support the development of open research infrastructure services, with the aim of strengthening sustainability and resilience and increasing the adoption of open infrastructure that underpins research and knowledge creation. Open Infrastructure Fund (pilot) at a glance:

Building the Prototype Open Knowledge Network (Proto-OKN) | NSF – National Science Foundation

Posted on March 22, 2023 by OATP primary

Abstract: This program supports the creation of a prototype Open Knowledge Network — an interconnected network of knowledge graphs supporting a very broad range of application domains. Open access to shared information is essential for the development and evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-powered solutions needed to address the complex challenges facing the nation and the world. Knowledge graphs, which represent relationships among real-world entities, provide a powerful approach for organizing, representing, integrating, reusing, and accessing data from multiple structured and unstructured sources using ontologies and ontology alignment. Currently, private-sector investments in knowledge graphs power numerous consumer applications including web search, e-commerce, banking, drug discovery, advertising, etc. Undertaking a similar but inclusive, open, and community-driven effort and making use of publicly available data holds the potential to create a platform that would empower government and non-government users — fueling evidence-based policymaking, continued strong economic growth, game-changing scientific breakthroughs, while addressing complex societal challenges from climate change to social equity.

Webinar: FAIR-IMPACT Open Call for Support | FAIR-IMPACT

Posted on March 4, 2023 by peter.suber's bookmarks

“FAIR-IMPACT will be launching the first of three open calls for financial support in April 2023. In this first open call, the project will be encouraging applications to participate in two defined support actions designed to help participants learn how to use specific tools, methods, and approaches to start (or continue) their journey to becoming more FAIR-enabling.

On March 27, FAIR-IMPACT will be hosting a webinar to introduce potential applicants and other interested parties to the open call and to provide details about the two support actions on offer. The session will outline who the support action is aimed at, what will be expected of participants, how it will benefit them, the skills and expertise necessary to participate, and how to apply. There will be time during the webinar for attendees to ask questions about any aspects of the open call.

We hope to see you on March 27th! Registration for this webinar is free and open to all….”

Optimising (RDA) Open Science Frameworks and Guidelines in the context of EOSC – Round 2 | EOSC Future Funding Platform

Posted on December 26, 2022 by OATP primary

“This call invites applications from research groups, including the RDA groups, to demonstrate how RDA-developed data sharing concepts and solutions can be reused, optimised and implemented in the EOSC context, particularly in the context of the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Portal Catalogue and Marketplace. EOSC is building a federated infrastructure to support Europe’s data output and works to enable the discovery and re-use of FAIR research data. In this context RDA plays a key role to underpin new and existing pathways to sharing research data. Many specifications already exist in RDA for data sharing and these can be refined and further developed via this call.

A wide range of activities – including promotional, analysis and technical documentation activities – can be funded through this call (described in more detail in section “What types of activities can be funded?”)

RDA provides an open forum where solutions are discussed and experiences are shared via its global community. EOSC is a new concept for many research communities and work still needs to be done to understand and enable data sharing and re-use across the research lifecycle, by making content FAIR and discoverable via a federated system such as EOSC. RDA is running a series of calls, as part of the EOSC Future project, to further enable integration and take up of EOSC services. The purpose of these RDA Open Calls is to engage the data sharing community from a bottom up approach to contribute their know-how to EOSC. This call specifically targets small projects to show implementation and take-up of existing outputs and specifications, specifically those that the RDA community has enabled. The call aims to support and encourage adoption of existing RDA outputs and recommendations which can benefit the community around EOSC and to promote new examples and lessons learnt. See a list of currently funded RDA/EOSC Future Open Call projects here….”

Open Call: Machine translation evaluation in the context of scholarly communication (proposals invited by Dec 23, 2022) | OPERAS

Posted on December 5, 2022 by OATP primary

In 2020, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) launched the Translations and Open Science project with the aim to explore the opportunities offered by translation technologies to foster multilingualism in scholarly communication and thus help to remove language barriers according to Open Science principles.

During the initial phase of the project (2020), a first working group, made up of experts in natural language processing and translation, published a report suggesting recommendations and avenues for experimentation with a view to establishing a scientific translation service combining relevant technologies, resources and human skills.

Once developed, the scientific translation service is intended to:

address the needs of different users, including researchers (authors and readers), readers outside the academic community, publishers of scientific texts, dissemination platforms or open archives;
combine specialised language technologies and human skills, in particular adapted machine translation engines and in-domain language resources to support the translation process;
be founded on the principles of open science, hence based on open-source software as well as shareable resources, and used to produce open access translations.

Project Goals

In order to follow up on recommendations and lay the foundation of the translation service, the OPERAS Research Infrastructure was commissioned by the MESR to coordinate a series of preparatory studies in the following areas:

Mapping and collection of scientific bilingual corpora: identifying and defining the conditions for collecting and preparing corpora of bilingual scientific texts which will serve as training dataset for specialised translation engines, source data for terminology extraction, and translation memory creation.
Use case study for a technology-based scientific translation service: drafting an overview of the current translation practices in scholarly communication and defining the use cases of a technology-based scientific translation service (associated features, expected quality, editorial and technical workflows, and involved human experts).
Machine translation evaluation in the context of scholarly communication: evaluating a set of translation engines to translate specialised texts.
Roadmap and budget projections: making budget projections to anticipate the costs to develop and run the service.

The four preparatory studies are planned during a one-year period as of September 2022.

The present call for tenders only covers the (3) Machine translation evaluation in the context of scholarly communication.

Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Research & Technology Fund/Wikimedia Research Fund – Meta

Posted on October 6, 2022 by OATP primary

“The Research Fund provides support to individuals, groups, and organizations with research interests on or about Wikimedia projects. We encourage submissions from across research disciplines including but not limited to humanities, social sciences, computer science, education, and law. We aim to support applicants who have limited access to research funding and are proposing work that has potential for direct, positive impact on their local communities.

We prioritize supporting applicants who have limited access to research funding, are in regions of the world where the Wikimedia research community has less representation, and are proposing work that has potential for direct, positive impact on their local communities or the global Wikimedia communities….”

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