Category Archives: oa.ukraine

Open Science and the Case Study of War-Torn Ukraine – The Aspen Institute, Dec 12, 2023

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“…Ukraine has recognized the importance of open access to research results as a step toward increasing the visibility of Ukrainian science and fostering international collaboration. As such, the country is actively working to promote open access (OA) to research and scientific publications. At the same time, Ukraine is under invasion by a neighboring country, the Russian Federation, which has been at war with Ukraine since 2014. In this virtual public webinar, we will discuss how Ukraine’s research community and government agencies are progressing and producing success stories in an extremely challenging environment. The discussion will also explore how our world can further the idea of Open Science and learn from the case study of Ukraine….”

[2311.09657] Open Access in Ukraine: characteristics and evolution from 2012 to 2021

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This study investigates development of open access (OA) to publications produced by authors affiliated with Ukrainian universities and research organisations in the period 2012-2021. In order to get a comprehensive overview we assembled data from three popular databases: Dimensions, Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. Our final dataset consisted of 187,135 records. To determine the OA status of each article, this study utilised Unpaywall data which was obtained via API. It was determined that 71.5% of all considered articles during the observed period were openly available at the time of analysis. Our findings show that gold OA was the most prevalent type of OA through a 10 years studied period. We also took a look at how OA varies by research fields, how dominant large commercial publishers are in disseminating national research and the preferences of authors regarding where to self-archive articles versions. We concluded that Ukraine needs to be thoughtful with engagement with large publishers and make sure academics control publishing, not for profit companies, which would monopolise research output distribution, leaving national publishers behind. Beyond that we put a special emphasis on the importance of FAIRness of national scholarly communication infrastructure in monitoring OA uptake.

Research4Life & STM support Ukrainian science and research during conflict – STM

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“The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine recently expressed its gratitude to STM’s publisher partners for allowing free access to over 42,000 peer-reviewed journals, 174,000 e-books, and 155 databases through the Research4Life program. In 2022, R4L publishers granted Ukrainian institutions free access under the Group A category of Research4Life. In a letter, the Temporary Acting Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Yevhen Kudriavets, described how Research4Life’s support became a lifeline for Ukrainian scientists by symbolizing resilience and allowing vital research to continue amid the uncertainty of war….”

Volunteers Rally to Archive Ukrainian Web Sites – Internet Archive Blogs

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“As the war intensifies in Ukraine, volunteers from around the world are working to archive digital content at risk of destruction or manipulation. The Internet Archive is supporting several preservation efforts including the Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online (SUCHO) initiative launched in early March….

More than 1,200 volunteers with SUCHO have saved 10 terabytes of data including 14,000 uploaded items (images and PDFs) and captured parts of 2,300 websites so far. This includes material from Ukrainian museums, library websites, digital exhibits, open access publications and elsewhere. 

 

The initiative is using a combination of technologies to crawl and archive sites and content. Some of the information is stored at the Internet Archive, where it can be discovered and accessed using open-source software….

The Internet Archive is providing technical support, tools and training to assist volunteers, including those with SUCHO, who are giving of their time.

Through Archive-It, a customizable self-service web archiving platform that captures, stores, and provides access to web-based content, free online accounts have been offered to volunteer archivists. Mirage Berry, business development manager for Archive-It, has coordinated support with other preservation partners including the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, the Center for Urban History of East Central Europe, and East European & Central Asian Studies Collections librarian Liladhar Pendse at University of California, Berkeley….”

ORCID Welcomes Ukraine to Global Consortia – ORCID

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“Last fall, during Open Access Week, we formally announced the formation of our Ukraine Consortium after two years of working together with the consortium lead, the State Scientific and Technical Library (SSTL) of Ukraine. With support from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, SSTL took the lead in a national ORCID consortium, initiating with 17 members, including the main national universities and scientific institutions. 

During the same time, the Ukrainian government also approved the Open Science Action Plan for the country, which was a critical step toward integration with the European Union research community. ORCID is pleased to have been able to provide a small measure of support to the Ukrainian research community during a time of immense hardship and uncertainty for the country….”

Ukrainian wins inaugural APE Award for Innovation in Scholarly Communication – Digital Science

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“Digital Science is pleased to announce that Ukrainian Vsevolod Solovyov has won the inaugural APE Award for Innovation in Scholarly Communication at the 18th Academic Publishing in Europe (APE) Conference in Berlin, Germany.

The award – supported by Digital Science, a technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem – was given to Vsevolod Solovyov for his work on Prophy.Science. Prophy.Science is an online platform for recommending reviewers used by the European Research Council in their grant reviewing process, which is therefore critical to research funding across Europe….”

Open Science for Ukraine: the Case for International Cooperation

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“The war in Ukraine and resulting destruction of research institutions have severely affected Ukrainian scientists. Almost 100,000 scientists still reside in Ukraine and require international support to continue their work. Ukrainian scientists would strongly benefit from an organized effort to support them through open science policies. As a result of the ongoing invasion, academic and research institutions in Ukraine have been physically damaged, and researchers face significant obstacles in trying to continue their work. This year, the International Science Council and an international collective of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine called on the scientific community to assist Ukraine by providing free access to archives, licensed software, and databases. International scientific societies and organizations such as UNESCO can use their resources to encourage collaboration and facilitate remote access to scientific resources for Ukrainian scientists. Open science policies will be key for preserving Ukrainian science and helping rebuild in the future.”

Ukraine launches National Open Science Action Plan | EIFL

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“The Government of Ukraine has approved a National Open Science Action Plan and mandated all Ministries to ensure that it is implemented, and to provide annual monitoring reports. 

Iryna Kuchma, EIFL Open Access Programme Manager, is a member of the National Open Science Working Group at the Ministry of Education and Science that developed the National Open Science Action Plan. 

The Action Plan includes integration of open science into national science, research, education, technology and innovation policies, strategies and action plans by 2024. It stipulates working in collaboration with EOSC – European Open Science Cloud – and Horizon Europe partnerships. …”

Overwhelming support for Ukrainian editorial staff | EIFL

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“Since the start of the war, EIFL has been involved in various activities supporting Ukrainian librarians and researchers. And so we welcomed the formation of SUES – Supporting Ukrainian Editorial Staff – in April 2022, and were among the first to join the initiative….

SUES, a coalition of organizations engaged in scholarly communications, was formed to fill this gap, to help journal editors and publishers with day-to-day activities, infrastructure, international visibility, and by building stronger relationships for the future. Led by OPERAS, SUES includes EIFL, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Open Access Publishing in European Networks (OAPEN), Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB), the Polish Institute of Literary Research – IBL-PAN, the Association of European University Presses, and Soutien à l’Édition Savante en Ukraine (SESU), which is a group of more than 30 professionals from the French academic publishing sector. …

The results far exceeded expectations. In less than two months, from 6 May to 24 June, SUES raised 73,000 Euros – enough money to support all 45 journals. The three main sources of funding were individuals donating through the crowdfunding platform Wemakeit (over 20,000 Euros); publishers and the library community through the Sven Fund of Knowledge Unlatched/Wiley (36,000 Euros), and the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, which donated 16,500 Euros through its Open Science National Fund. …

Thanks to SUES support, the Journal of Sociology: Theory, methods and marketing has been able to publish its second issue for 2022. The articles, which cover experiences of pandemic and war, institutional emergency conditions and stress perception, have been uploaded to the journal’s open access website. …”

Safeguarding science in the wake of conflict – International Science Council

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“Full adoption of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendation on open science is highlighted as a pathway for enabling displaced scholars to continue their work, and supporting the (re)development of fragile science systems. Crucially, stakeholders must work together to develop sustainable frameworks in higher education and research systems for a more predictable and effective approach to the phases of preparedness, response and rebuilding in the aftermath of conflict or disaster….”

1st International Conference “Open Science and Innovation in Ukraine 2022”

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“The State Scientific and Technical Library of Ukraine under the auspices and with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has the honor to invite to participate in the 1-st international conference “Open Science and Innovation in Ukraine 2022″, which is approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and will be held with the support of national, international organizations, associations and other sponsors, which will take place on October 27-28, 2022 in Kyiv in an online format….”

Action Steps For Rebuilding Ukraine’s Science, Research, and Innovation | National Academies

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“We, the leadership of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, the ALLEA European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, and the Royal Society of the United Kingdom, met in Warsaw, Poland on June 2, 2022. The aim of the meeting was to discuss and agree on steps to build a strong science, innovation, research, and training system in Ukraine. Our discussions recognized the challenges in making progress given the still ongoing invasion by Russian forces, but also were driven by an understanding that rebuilding science and research in Ukraine, are critical to ensure its long-term prosperity and sovereignty. As such, we strongly encourage that while global leaders develop programs and make funding commitments for Ukraine, there should be a focus on rebuilding a modern and globally integrated science and research system. The 10 actions articulated below are practical steps that can be taken by scientific communities of our countries, and also those around the world. While some of the actions can be achieved in the near term, others will depend on the evolving military and security situation in Ukraine. The list is subject to expansion and readjustment, and takes into consideration past experiences in dealing with war-affected countries. …

5. Provide remote, free access to scholarly journals to Ukrainian research institutions….”

Wikipedia fights Russian order to remove Ukraine war information | Reuters

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“The Wikimedia Foundation, which owns Wikipedia, has filed an appeal against a Moscow court decision demanding that it remove information related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, arguing that people have a right to know the facts of the war….”

Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online | webinar | May 13, 2022 | San José State University, US

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“We invite you to join the SJSU King Library and special guest speakers Anna E. Kijas from Tufts University and Quinn Dombrowski from Stanford University to learn the story behind the grassroots organization Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online (SUCHO). Time May 13, 2022 12:00 PM in Pacific Time (US and Canada)”

Supporting Ukrainian Editorial Staff: Crowdfunding Campaign

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The invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and the expansion of the war zone across the country have had a significant impact on the country’s scientific activity. Much civilian infrastructure has been destroyed, including higher education and research institutions.

Through a number of programmes, such as Science for Ukraine, support is being provided to Ukrainian researchers, but this support has not been extended to staff working alongside researchers in knowledge generation: the librarians, editors, technicians, and administrative staff at universities, research institutes, and other infrastructures.

Yet preserving the knowledge, expertise, and knowledge-sharing capabilities of these scientific communities is of vital importance.

What can we do to help?

Supporting Ukrainian Editorial Staff (SUES) is an initiative by various European institutions, infrastructures, and organizations (Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences [IBL-PAN], OPERAS, Directory of Open Access Journals [DOAJ], Directory of Open Access Books [DOAB], Electronic Information for Libraries [EIFL], Association of European University Presses [AEUP]), as well as a number of French scientific publishers, aimed at supporting scientific communication in Ukraine and helping scholarly journals and academic publishers to continue their publishing activities.

Did you know that there are more than 1,000 academic journals in Ukraine? Over 700 of these are open access journals published via the URAN platform. The publication of academic books is also extensive, with more than 20 Ukrainian university presses currently distributed via the CEEOL portal. These publications, in fields ranging from physics to literature via history, sociology, and biology, are key vehicles for the communication of knowledge generated by Ukrainian researchers. The editors, reviewers, typesetters, proofreaders, translators, and technical and administrative staff working in the various publishing centres need your support to continue their mission: to share and disseminate knowledge.

A questionnaire is being circulated around Ukrainian journals and publishers to help accurately identify their needs in terms of financial and technical support. The requests received so far relate primarily to remuneration for editorial work, to enable them to continue their work and to publish the next issue of their journal or their next book. The purpose of this campaign is to help 10 journals or publishers to keep publishing. In the long term, the project is also aimed at strengthening relationships and exchanging knowledge to ensure the international presence and visibility of Ukrainian academic publishers. Thanks to your contribution, Ukrainian scholarly journals and scientific publishers will be able to continue sharing knowledge.

A crowdfunding campaign is being run from Wednesday, 4 May to Monday, 6 June 2022, to raise money to help Ukrainian journals who have requested assistance from the coalition. Unique compensation will be offered in return for any financial support offered.

Link to the crowdfunding webpage: https://wemakeit.com/projects/support-to-ukrainian-editors

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