Launch of Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS)

---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:24:35 -0400 From: Bernard Rentier <brentier -- ULG.AC.BE> Reply-To: American Scientist Open Access Forum &lt;AMERICAN-SCIENTIST-OPEN-ACCESS-FORUM(a)LISTSERVER.SIGMAXI.ORG&gt; Subject: Launch of EOS After a missed launch a few weeks ago, an organisation that will be of interest to all rectors and vice-rectors-for-research is now ready to take off. Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS) LAUNCHES NEW ORGANISATION FOR INSTITUTIONAL DIRECTORS WORLDWIDE Liege, Belgium 23 September 2009 —————————————————— ENABLING OPEN SCHOLARSHIP (EOS), a new organisation for senior management in universities and research institutions, has been launched today. The context in which EOS has been established is that of increasing interest from governments, funders and the research community itself in opening up the way research is carried out and communicated. This interest is complemented by new research practices and processes that can work effectively only in an open, collaborative environment. As we rapidly approach 100 formal, mandatory, policies on Open Access from universities, research institutes and research funders a group of senior directors of universities and research institutes have come together to launch a new forum for the promotion of the principles and practices of open scholarship. The aim of Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS) is to further the opening up of scholarship and research that we are now seeing as a natural part of ‘big science’ and through the growing interest from the research community in open access, open education, open science and open innovation. These, and other, 'open' approaches to scholarship are changing the way research and learning are done and will be performed in the future. Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS) provides the higher education and research sectors around the world with information on developments and with advice and guidance on implementing policies and processes that encourage the opening up of scholarship. It also provides a forum for discussion and debate amongst its members and will be taking that discussion into the wider community. EOS membership is for senior institutional managers who have an interest in — and wish to help develop thinking on — strategies for promoting open scholarship to the academy as a whole and to society at large. The EOS website is a resource open to all. It provides background information, data and guidance material on open scholarship-related issues. In a limited access area, members can find announcements, news and discussions. EOS offers an outreach service to universities and research institutes — whether members or not — that need help, advice, guidance or information on open scholarship issues. We do this through our website and also by providing information on an individual basis to institutions that need it. The EOS board is composed of people who have personally designed or instigated the kinds of changes in their own institutions that herald the benefits of the open scholarly communication system of the future. Now this expertise is available for others to tap into. The current EOS board comprises: • Bernard RENTIER (Chairman), Rector of the University of Liege, Belgium • Tom COCHRANE, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia • William DAR, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India • Stevan HARNAD, Canada Research Chair, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, Quebec • Keith JEFFERY, Director of IT and International Strategy at the Science & Technology Facilities Council, Swindon, UK • Sijbolt NOORDA, President of VSNU, the Association of Dutch Research Universities • Stuart SHIEBER, James O. Welch, Jr. and Virginia B. Welch Professor of Computer Science in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University and Director of Harvard’s Office of Scholarly Communication • Ian SIMPSON, Deputy Principal for Research and Knowledge Transfer, and Professor of Environmental Science, University of Stirling, UK • Peter SUBER, Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA • John WILLINSKY, Khosla Family Professor of Education at Stanford University and director of the Public Knowledge Project at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, USA • Alma SWAN (Convenor/Coordinateur), Director of Key Perspectives Ltd, Truro, UK “The world of research is changing and universities and other research-based institutions must drive the change, not sit back and let it happen. Having embarked upon implementing changes in thinking and practice at my own university, I want to encourage others in my position to join the discussion and help lead the way to a better future,” said Professor Bernard Rentier. “We will be reaching out to universities and research institutes across the world to invite them to play an active role in building better systems of scholarship for the future. EOS will provide the forum and the voice for the research community on open scholarship issues and represents a very valuable resource for those who want to join in this endeavour”. “The benefits of open access and open scholarship have been clearly demonstrated for individuals, institutions and the public,” said Professor Keith Jeffery. “EOS will be there to provide information and guidance from those who have already had experience of making the changes needed.” Dr William Dar said, "Open scholarship benefits the whole world's science, not just that of the western world. It enables the free flow of research information between north and south, east and west, helping research to progress much more effectively. EOS will be very valuable in advancing this process and improving the way science is carried out across the globe". For more information visit the Enabling Open Scholarship website at: http://www.openscholarship.org or contact the convenor: Dr Alma Swan +44 1392 879702 info(a)openscholarship.org