Maskana’s contribution to improve via open access UC’s and Ecuador’s research visibility

Abstract

For many generations scientists publish research results for the evident reason that by doing so they offer directly or indirectly solutions for the rapidly increasing challenges humanity face. What would the world and our life look like without science! Of course, scientists alone won’t be able to turn research findings into effective, efficient and cost-effective solutions; it requires the cooperation between different actors of the society. The role of the politicians in this is crucial, because through smart policies and measures, they are able to (i) stimulate and intensify research endeavours, and (ii) develop strategies that ensure that research findings are converted into solutions. This implies that the academic community publishes their results and that society takes notice of the inventions. The best way to do this is by publishing findings in an easy and accessible way for the society as a whole, in other words, by publishing research articles in open access journals, rather than in journals behind a paywall. Paywalls are withholding a substantial amount of research results from a large fraction of the scientific community and the society, and as such from its final application. It hinders dramatically the scientific community and the society of the developing and economic emerging countries to get access to the research findings and solutions of the developed countries; hindering the progress of those countries. Monetising the access to new and existing research is according to Merton (1973) in contradiction with the ethos of science. Open data has the potential to generate new ideas and spark new collaborations between researchers, policymakers, and the society but according to this author they only become open data when they are reused.