12/3/2009
Universities of applied sciences working towards free availability of research results
The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (HBO-raad) has signed the Berlin Declaration on Open Access. The signature set by chairman Doekle Terpstra means that all of the Netherlands’ universities of applied sciences [hogescholen] support the aim of making the research output of these institutions available to all. Dutch universities of applied sciences have always had strong links to trade and industry. Their research is therefore practice-oriented, deals with current issues of relevance to society, and makes a clear contribution to professional development.
In the words of Mr Terpstra, “Research results must find their way unchecked into education and the relevant professional fields, as well as to researchers, thus contributing to the generation and circulation of knowledge. Given the global problems that face us nowadays, it is more important than ever for us to collaborate and to share knowledge. That makes Open Access essential.”
Sharing knowledge
The ‘Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities’ calls on researchers to make their material freely available by publishing it in Open Access journals or by uploading it to repositories on the Internet. It was drawn up in October 2003 and has since been signed by a large number of scientific and scholarly organisations throughout the world. It refers not only to articles but also raw data and other research material. Everyone must be able to consult all of these sources, and utilise or distribute the material concerned. The sole condition is that the original author should be credited.
Open Access and universities of applied sciences
Mr Terpstra signed the Berlin Declaration at the seminar on ‘Open Access and Universities of Applied Sciences’, an event at which administrators, ‘lectors’ (who organise knowledge networks), policy makers, and legal experts discussed access to knowledge products in this sector of the Dutch education system. A declaration of intent was also signed during the seminar between the National Library of the Netherlands (KB) and the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences with a view to archiving digital publications produced by universities of applied sciences in the National Library’s e-Depot. This is a digital archive environment intended to allow permanent access to digital information sources.
Open Access Year 2009
With SURF acting as coordinator, the Dutch higher education sector has declared 2009 to be ‘Open Access Year’. This gives a further boost to Open Access to the results of scientific/scholarly and practice-based research.
About SURF
SURF unites the Dutch research universities, universities of applied sciences, and research institutions in creating pioneering ICT innovations, thereby enabling them to make the best possible use of the opportunities afforded by ICT and to excel in their education and research efforts. SURF consists of three organisations: SURFfoundation, SURFnet and SURFdiensten.