In an effort to create a more equitable and sustainable global framework for academic publishing, cOAlition S has collaborated with Information Power, a renowned consultancy firm. The primary goal of this initiative is to explore and implement a pricing model that ensures fairness for readers and producers of scholarly publications, as well as their proxies, such as research funders and universities.
cOAlition S, a consortium of research funders committed to making scientific and scholarly research open access, recognized the need for a comprehensive approach to address the challenges posed by the current academic publishing landscape. To tackle this issue, cOAlition S commissioned Information Power to develop a fairer global pricing framework and tool that can be universally applied across various publishing business models.
The Information Power team has crafted a pricing framework and tool that rely on open and transparent data. This approach aims to foster equitable practices within academic publishing by enabling publishers, research funders, and universities to contribute financially in a globally sustainable manner. Emphasizing the importance of dialogue among stakeholders, Information Power underscores the need for careful utilization of the tool to ensure that the framework aligns with shared principles and benefits customers.
The fair global pricing framework offers practical solutions for academic publishers, enabling them to embrace equity in various ways: Equity from the Start: Publishers can employ the framework for new services, ensuring fairness right from the beginning of their publishing ventures; Improving Existing Services: Publishers have the option to transition existing services onto the new framework, with the help of a tool designed to assess the impact on different customer groups; and Overcoming Exchange Rate Barriers: To address the challenges posed by exchange rate fluctuations in certain countries, publishers can convert prices into local currencies on an annual basis. These fixed local prices will remain constant for 12 months, fostering greater equity in access to academic publications.
In order to gather valuable input and feedback from the funder, library/consortium, and publisher communities, cOAlition S is hosting a webinar on October 12 at 4 pm CEST. During this event, the Information Power team will provide a detailed overview of the framework and its accompanying tool. If you are interested in participating, you can register here. For those unable to attend in real-time, a recording will be made available afterward.
After reviewing the framework, exploring the tool, and participating in the webinar, Information Power encourages you to share your thoughts and insights through a dedicated survey. Your input will play a crucial role in shaping the final version of the framework and tool. The survey link will remain open until October 31.
This collaborative effort between cOAlition S and Information Power represents a significant step towards creating a fairer, more sustainable, and globally equitable academic publishing ecosystem. By fostering open dialogue and transparency, this initiative aims to benefit all stakeholders and advance the cause of scholarly research and dissemination.
Click here to read the original press release.
