In a transformative journey spanning two decades, the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) has spearheaded the global movement towards Open Access (OA), envisioning a world where scholarly research is freely accessible to all. As the BOAI commemorates the second anniversary of its BOAI20 Recommendations, it reflects on the progress made, the challenges encountered, and the ongoing mission to ensure equity in scholarly communication.
The BOAI20 Recommendations, born out of a global community consultation in 2022, underscore the imperative for the OA movement to actively address disparities and create systems that foster inclusivity. Central to this vision is the call for community-controlled infrastructure, reforms in research assessment and rewards, and the promotion of inclusive publishing models that transcend economic barriers.
Over the past two years, significant strides have been made towards realizing this vision. Progressive policies, such as the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science and the White House OSTP memorandum, have underscored the importance of OA as a means to achieve equity. National and regional initiatives, notably in Latin America and Europe, have championed community-led OA infrastructure and transparent access to publicly funded research.
Equally pivotal has been the growing momentum towards redefining OA publishing models. Mass resignations from editorial boards over exorbitant article processing charges (APCs) and the emergence of values-aligned models like Diamond and Subscribe to Open reflect a shift towards equitable publishing practices. Universities are adopting Rights Retention policies, while Bulgaria's adoption of the world's first zero-embargo Secondary Publishing Right marks a significant milestone.
Looking ahead, the BOAI is poised to play a more active role within the Access to Knowledge movement, reaffirming its commitment to uniting humanity in a common intellectual conversation and quest for knowledge.
As the OA movement continues to evolve, the BOAI remains steadfast in its commitment to equity, quality, usability, and sustainability in scholarly communication, embodying the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity that defines the global OA community.
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