Monthly Archives: September 2015

FAQ

Posted on by

  • When do we need to have signed the new statement to maintain our membership?

We expect to gradually broaden the coalition’s focus over 2015 and into 2016. We know organizations might only have few opportunities a year to pass policies to support the updated statement and so signing the new statement could take a year or more. Our timeline is flexible and we’ll be observing and talking with members to ensure we maintain a strong coalition through the transition. Organizations will be given notice of when their membership of the coalition will be terminated.

  • What do I do if only some of these issues are important to my organization?

The internet has revolutionized everything except research and education—the very things it was build to advance. We need to change that. To turn students into graduates, to transform ideas into industries, to translate breakthroughs into better lives.

You can find our info pages on the topics here, and we challenge you to learn about each issue without concluding they’re something your organization can take a stance on!

 

  • What happens if we don’t pass the updated statement before the transition ends?

If you don’t pass the statement, eventually we will have to end your membership of the Right to Research Coalition. However, we may continue to note your organization supported the original statement on Open Access alone and possibly even as a “legacy” member.

 

  • How many others have supported this issue?

OpenCon, our coalition’s conference and community on these issues has found incredibly strong support for these issues among students and early career researchers. While there are no doubt still issues facing each of these causes, we’ve found thousands of young people through OpenCon who are passionate about ensuring Open Research and Education is the future.

Many of our members have already made strides to adopt this broader range of issues, include NAGPS, IFMSA, UAEM, Open Access Nepal and Open Access Nigeria. You can find all the members who have signed the new statement here.

 

  • What else is happening as part of this transition?

Adopting a new statement as a coalition is just the first step of this transition. As part of this we also expect to undergo a website redesign and content/resource generation to reflect our broader range of issues. OpenCon is our first major initiative combine each of these areas, and it’s active community is taking huge action these issues. We hope that Coalition members will also take this transition as the opportunity to establish projects to support these new areas.

  • Can organizations who didn’t sign the original statement sign the updated statement?

Yes! 

  • Who can join the Right to Research Coalition?

Originally, it was only student-led organizations. However, after significant interesting in these issues from early career researchers has become a powerful force for change we thought it was important for their membership to be accepted. We currently allow student, and early career research led organizations to join.

FAQ

Posted on by

  • When do we need to have signed the new statement to maintain our membership?

We expect to gradually broaden the coalition’s focus over 2015 and into 2016. We know organizations might only have few opportunities a year to pass policies to support the updated statement and so signing the new statement could take a year or more. Our timeline is flexible and we’ll be observing and talking with members to ensure we maintain a strong coalition through the transition. Organizations will be given notice of when their membership of the coalition will be terminated.

  • What do I do if only some of these issues are important to my organization?

 

The internet has revolutionized everything except research and education—the very things it was build to advance. We need to change that. To turn students into graduates, to transform ideas into industries, to translate breakthroughs into better lives.

You can find our info pages on the topics here, and we challenge you to learn about each issue without concluding they’re something your organization can take a stance on!

 

  • What happens if we don’t pass the updated statement before the transition ends?

 

If you don’t pass the statement, eventually we will have to end your membership of the Right to Research Coalition. However, we may continue to note your organization supported the original statement on Open Access alone and possibly even as a “legacy” member.

 

  • How many others have supported this issue?

 

OpenCon, our coalition’s conference and community on these issues has found incredibly strong support for these issues among students and early career researchers. While there are no doubt still issues facing each of these causes, we’ve found thousands of young people through OpenCon who are passionate about ensuring Open Research and Education is the future.

Many of our members have already made strides to adopt this broader range of issues, include NAGPS, IFMSA, UAEM, Open Access Nepal and Open Access Nigeria. You can find all the members who have signed the new statement here.

 

  • What else is happening as part of this transition?

 

Adopting a new statement as a coalition is just the first step of this transition. As part of this we also expect to undergo a website redesign and content/resource generation to reflect our broader range of issues. OpenCon is our first major initiative combine each of these areas, and it’s active community is taking huge action these issues. We hope that Coalition members will also take this transition as the opportunity to establish projects to support these new areas.

 

  • Can organizations who didn’t sign the original statement sign the updated statement?

 

Yes!

 

  • Who can join the Right to Research Coalition?

 

Originally, it was only student-led organizations. However, after significant interesting in these issues from early career researchers has become a powerful force for change we thought it was important for their membership to be accepted. We currently allow student, and early career research led organizations to join.

Why update the statement?

Posted on by

Impact of the original Student Statement

In the summer of 2009, the original Student Statement on the Right to Research sent a strong message to the world that students support Open Access and marked the founding of the Right to Research Coalition. From just 6 founding members, the Right to Research Coalition and its statement have now grown to over 85 organisations across the world, and together the coalition has had an important impact. The Open Access movement, now with students at its center, has made large strides toward its goal of unlocking the world’s scholarly research. Today, it is increasingly common to see top research funders with Open Access policies; Open Access journals are publishing a higher percentage of the world’s research output each year; and repositories have become core infrastructure that provide access to millions of articles. There is still a long way to go, but we’re on the right track.

Why the Student Statement has been updated 

As the movement for Open Access has grown, the related causes of Open Education and Open Data have become increasingly important. We’ve watched our member organizations begin to integrate these aligned issues into their work organically, and SPARC, our parent organization, has similarly expanded its mission to include Open Education and Open Data. Updating the Student Statement will reflect the diversity of our members’ efforts to promote openness across research and education, and provide the grounding the Right to Research Coalition needs to represent and advocate for students on these issues. Our scope has also naturally expanded to include early career researchers as well as students, and the statement has been updated to reflect its intention to represent the next generation, from undergraduates to those beginning a career in the academy.

What’s changed in the updated Student Statement 

Two new sections on Open Data and Open Education have been added to the statement and mirror the structure of the original text on Open Access—explaining why the issues are important the next generation and calling for action to be taken to make open the new default. Language has also been added to be inclusive of early career academic professionals and provide context for how Open Access can differ in the Humanities.

How the statement has been updated

The process of updating the Student Statement has taken place over several years with the constant input of students, member organizations and experts. The next step is yours to take! The Student Statement gains its strength from student organisation around the world signing on. We invite you to do just that, and we’re here to offer any support you may need.

Why update the statement?

Posted on by

Impact of the original Student Statement

In the summer of 2009, the original Student Statement on the Right to Research sent a strong message to the world that students support Open Access and marked the founding of the Right to Research Coalition. From just 6 founding members, the Right to Research Coalition and its statement have now grown to over 85 organisations across the world, and together the coalition has had an important impact. The Open Access movement, now with students at its center, has made large strides toward its goal of unlocking the world’s scholarly research. Today, it is increasingly common to see top research funders with Open Access policies; Open Access journals are publishing a higher percentage of the world’s research output each year; and repositories have become core infrastructure that provide access to millions of articles. There is still a long way to go, but we’re on the right track.

Why the Student Statement has been updated 

As the movement for Open Access has grown, the related causes of Open Education and Open Data have become increasingly important. We’ve watched our member organizations begin to integrate these aligned issues into their work organically, and SPARC, our parent organization, has similarly expanded its mission to include Open Education and Open Data. Updating the Student Statement will reflect the diversity of our members’ efforts to promote openness across research and education, and provide the grounding the Right to Research Coalition needs to represent and advocate for students on these issues. Our scope has also naturally expanded to include early career researchers as well as students, and the statement has been updated to reflect its intention to represent the next generation, from undergraduates to those beginning a career in the academy.

What’s changed in the updated Student Statement 

Two new sections on Open Data and Open Education have been added to the statement and mirror the structure of the original text on Open Access—explaining why the issues are important the next generation and calling for action to be taken to make open the new default. Language has also been added to be inclusive of early career academic professionals and provide context for how Open Access can differ in the Humanities.

How the statement has been updated

The process of updating the Student Statement has taken place over several years with the constant input of students, member organizations and experts. The next step is yours to take! The Student Statement gains its strength from student organisation around the world signing on. We invite you to do just that, and we’re here to offer any support you may need.