“Universal Open Access is the first of Eight fundamental principles for scientific publishing, developed under ISC’s project on Scientific Publishing and adopted by ISC Members by a resolution of the October 2021 General Assembly. Today, nearly half of all new research articles are openly accessible in some format, but fee-based open access – where authors pay for publication – is increasing, raising concerns around affordability and equity in the context of very diverse levels of funding within the global science system.

In order to support open access to scientific information, with no barriers for authors or readers, there is a need to better understand the challenges in different settings, and for coordination among actors that contribute financially to scholarly publishing.

On 21 and 22 November the International Science Council (ISC), OA2020, the Association of African Universities (AAU), cOAlition S, Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), UNESCO and Science Europe co-organized the first in a series of three workshops on ‘Global Equity in Open Access Publishing’. The first workshop, which took place online, focussed on Africa and Europe and was open to different stakeholders who fund or produce research, such as researchers, university administrators, science councils and grant funders, and ministries of research and education.”