The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) has announced a call for proposals for the Open Access Engagement Asia Award, designed to support initiatives that raise awareness of open access publishing, DOAJ, and quality standards for ethical scholarly publishing across Asia.
Open access enables free and unrestricted access to scholarly research, improving visibility, collaboration, and equitable dissemination of knowledge. While many universities and research institutions in Asia are strengthening open access practices, DOAJ noted that greater awareness, capacity building, and institutional engagement are still needed. The award aims to encourage activities that promote open access and improve understanding of DOAJ’s quality standards.
The award seeks to:
• Increase awareness of open access
• Promote awareness of DOAJ
• Encourage responsible publishing practices
• Improve understanding of quality standards
Applications are invited from individuals or teams affiliated with organizations in Asia, with priority given to proposals from Bangladesh, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Eligible institutions include universities, research institutes, academic libraries, scholarly societies, and non‑profit organizations in scholarly communication. Collaborative proposals are encouraged.
Examples of activities include:
• Open access awareness programs
• Training workshops on DOAJ
Awardees will have access to DOAJ resources such as slides, presentations, gamified workshops, fliers, and stickers, with printing costs included in the budget.
Selected projects will receive €300 to support workshops, seminars, outreach, and training activities. Institutions are encouraged to provide additional financial or in‑kind support, such as venues, travel, printing, or technical assistance.
Award recipients are expected to:
• Organize at least one local workshop, seminar, or awareness activity
• Share training materials via DOAJ’s Zenodo Community under a CC BY SA license
• Publish a short blog post about the activities
• Provide photos or communication materials from the event
Click here to read the original press release.
