The Royal Society of Biology is hosting an event 'Learned Societies and Open Access' on September 27, 2017, at Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger St, London WC1N 2JU.
It has long been recognised that the move to Open Access could represent a threat to the financial sustainability of UK learned societies, many of whom are highly dependent on revenues from publishing. Societies face pressures from a range of other sources, including ageing membership profiles, rising pension liabilities and volatile foreign currency markets, among others.
Recognising the importance of societies to the research ecosystem, the Universities UK Open Access Co-ordination Group commissioned work to track the financial health of a sample of 30 UK learned societies over the last five years. Preliminary findings indicate that societies’ publishing revenues are continuing to rise, but margins are being progressively squeezed. Almost half of the sampled societies reported a loss in 2015, up from only six in 2011.
This event is an opportunity for representatives of learned societies, from all disciplines, to engage with, and comment on, the study’s interim findings, and help shape the final report. Participants will hear from the study's authors and leading society figures, and will be able to share their own perspectives on the challenges facing UK societies in an Open Access future.
Interested parties are invited to apply for a place by August 28 at https://www.rsb.org.uk/events/event_1947. Approximately 60 places are available free of charge. All applicants will be contacted on August 29 with information on the outcome of their application.
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