The 2025 iteration of International Open Access Week, scheduled for October 20–26, will center on the question of “Who owns our knowledge?”. This theme prompts reflection on control over knowledge production, access, and dissemination—highlighting whose voices are recognized and valued in research and education.
This year’s theme builds on recent momentum in community-centered publishing, where Diamond open access and Subscribe to Open (S2O) models have seen marked expansion. Several editorial boards have reclaimed control of their journals by departing from commercial publishers, prompting institutions to shift away from proprietary databases and traditional evaluation metrics. Revisions to promotion and tenure policies across regions increasingly reward open knowledge sharing. Moreover, there is growing awareness that research data and outputs may be co-owned or controlled by study participants.
However, new challenges threaten these gains. The rapid mining of academic outputs to train artificial intelligence, often without researcher consent, and surveillance practices on publisher platforms mirror risks historically unseen in physical libraries. Advocates argue that community-led and non-commercial open science approaches—echoing UNESCO’s Recommendation on Open Science and the Toluca–Cape Town Declaration—offer alternative pathways to ensure that individuals and communities retain agency and benefit from their knowledge.
Open Access Week extends beyond its official October dates. Communities worldwide are encouraged to host discussions and actions year-round, customizing the theme to their context. Customizable graphics, translations, and further details are available on the official site, and participants are invited to engage using #OAWeek on social media.
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