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<font size=3>[Forwarding from Bernard Rentier via the AmSci OA
Forum. --Peter Suber.]<br><br>
<br>
After a missed launch a few weeks ago, an organisation that will be of
interest to all rectors and vice-rectors-for-research is now ready to
take off.<br><br>
Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS) LAUNCHES NEW ORGANISATION FOR
INSTITUTIONAL DIRECTORS WORLDWIDE<br><br>
Liege, Belgium<br>
23 September 2009<br>
——————————————————<br><br>
ENABLING OPEN SCHOLARSHIP (EOS), a new organisation for senior management
in universities and research institutions, has been launched
today.<br><br>
The context in which EOS has been established is that of increasing
interest from governments, funders and the research community itself in
opening up the way research is carried out and communicated. This
interest is complemented by new research practices and processes that can
work effectively only in an open, collaborative environment.<br><br>
As we rapidly approach 100 formal, mandatory, policies on Open Access
from universities, research institutes and research funders a group of
senior directors of universities and research institutes have come
together to launch a new forum for the promotion of the principles and
practices of open scholarship.<br><br>
The aim of Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS) is to further the opening up
of scholarship and research that we are now seeing as a natural part of
‘big science’ and through the growing interest from the research
community in open access, open education, open science and open
innovation. These, and other, 'open' approaches to scholarship are
changing the way research and learning are done and will be performed in
the future.<br><br>
Enabling Open Scholarship (EOS) provides the higher education and
research sectors around the world with information on developments and
with advice and guidance on implementing policies and processes that
encourage the opening up of scholarship. It also provides a forum for
discussion and debate amongst its members and will be taking that
discussion into the wider community.<br><br>
EOS membership is for senior institutional managers who have an interest
in — and wish to help develop thinking on — strategies for promoting open
scholarship to the academy as a whole and to society at large.<br><br>
The EOS website is a resource open to all. It provides background
information, data and guidance material on open scholarship-related
issues. In a limited access area, members can find announcements, news
and discussions.<br><br>
EOS offers an outreach service to universities and research institutes —
whether members or not — that need help, advice, guidance or information
on open scholarship issues. We do this through our website and also by
providing information on an individual basis to institutions that need
it.<br><br>
The EOS board is composed of people who have personally designed or
instigated the kinds of changes in their own institutions that herald the
benefits of the open scholarly communication system of the future. Now
this expertise is available for others to tap into.<br><br>
The current EOS board comprises:<br>
• Bernard RENTIER (Chairman), Rector of the University of Liege,
Belgium<br>
• Tom COCHRANE, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Queensland University of
Technology, Brisbane, Australia<br>
• William DAR, Director General of the International Crops Research
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India<br>
• Stevan HARNAD, Canada Research Chair, Université du Québec à Montréal
(UQAM), Montreal, Quebec<br>
• Keith JEFFERY, Director of IT and International Strategy at the Science
& Technology Facilities Council, Swindon, UK<br>
• Sijbolt NOORDA, President of VSNU, the Association of Dutch Research
Universities<br>
• Stuart SHIEBER, James O. Welch, Jr. and Virginia B. Welch Professor of
Computer Science in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
at<br>
Harvard University and Director of Harvard’s Office of Scholarly
Communication<br>
• Ian SIMPSON, Deputy Principal for Research and Knowledge Transfer, and
Professor of Environmental Science, University of Stirling, UK<br>
• Peter SUBER, Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard
University, Cambridge, USA<br>
• John WILLINSKY, Khosla Family Professor of Education at Stanford
University and director of the Public Knowledge Project at the University
of<br>
British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, USA<br>
• Alma SWAN (Convenor/Coordinateur), Director of Key Perspectives Ltd,
Truro, UK<br><br>
The world of research is changing and universities and other
research-based institutions must drive the change, not sit back and let
it happen. Having embarked upon implementing changes in thinking and
practice at my own university, I want to encourage others in my position
to join the discussion and help lead the way to a better future,” said
Professor Bernard Rentier. “We will be reaching out to universities and
research institutes across the world to invite them to play an active
role in building better systems of scholarship for the future. EOS will
provide the forum and the voice for the research community on open
scholarship issues and represents a very valuable resource for those who
want to join in this endeavour”.<br><br>
The benefits of open access and open scholarship have been clearly
demonstrated for individuals, institutions and the public,” said
Professor Keith Jeffery. “EOS will be there to provide information and
guidance from those who have already had experience of making the changes
needed.”<br><br>
Dr William Dar said, "Open scholarship benefits the whole world's
science, not just that of the western world. It enables the free flow of
research information between north and south, east and west, helping
research to progress much more effectively. EOS will be very valuable in
advancing this process and improving the way science is carried out
across the globe".<br><br>
For more information visit the Enabling Open Scholarship website at:<br>
<a href="http://www.openscholarship.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.openscholarship.org<br><br>
</a>or contact the convenor:<br>
Dr Alma Swan<br>
+44 1392 879702<br>
info@openscholarship.org<br>
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