Springer Nature has launched the India Research Advisory Council (IRAC) to strengthen engagement with India’s knowledge economy and align with national research priorities. The initiative extends the publisher’s global advisory network, which includes councils in Africa (ARAC), Europe (ERAC), Japan (JRAF), Korea (KRAF), the United States (USRAC), Latin America (LARAC), and China (CRAC).
The council brings together representatives from government and policy-making bodies, academia, corporate R&D, scholarly societies, librarians, and early-career researchers. Meeting annually in roundtable workshops, IRAC will address issues such as research integrity, open science, equitable access, and the societal impact of research within the scholarly publishing ecosystem.
The inaugural meetings took place on 11–12 September 2025 in New Delhi, with participants from the Ministry of Education, ICSSR, INFLIBNET, National Medical Commission, Ministry of Women and Child Development, NIPGR, and leading universities and research institutions.
Key priorities identified by members include:
• Strengthening research integrity in India
• Promoting national frameworks to uphold ethical practices and reproducibility standards
• Building institutional capacity to address misconduct and provide grievance redressal
• Raising awareness of resources such as Springer Nature’s Research Integrity in Science and Education (RISE) masterclasses
• Advancing open science and open access
• Accelerating India’s open access transition with equity and academic freedom
• Enhancing research data transparency, sharing, and quality assurance
• Bridging the access gap for institutions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
The council complements initiatives such as One Nation One Subscription and is expected to help shape inclusive and impactful practices that reinforce India’s position in global scholarly research.
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