Summary of the open access discussion meeting at University of Twente, 18 February 2015
After an introduction by Franciska de Jong, professor of language technology at UT, Jos Engelen (NWO) presented his position on the necessity and inevitability of open access. Detlef Lohse, professor of Physics of Fluids Group (UT) presented a critique of the commercial interests of major publishers in the golden route of open access (‘public money for private wealth’). He then led the discussion with a panel consisting of the first two speakers complemented by three UT professors.

On the basis of discussion statements of the panelists there was a lively and interesting debate, both among the panelists and with the audience. Although nobody doubts about the importance of open access, many are skeptical about the feasibility of the goals recently set by secretary of state Sander Dekker. Or as panelist and professor of Political Science Kees Aarts summarized: “We underestimate the resistance of publishers to change the publishing model and overestimate the willingness of scientists to actually opt for open access.”