New coalition promotes open access

Concordia University is the first and only Canadian university to join the newly created Coalition of Open Access Policy Institutions (COAPI), which was launched this week.

COAPI is the first North American coalition of 22 universities and colleges with established faculty open access policies. The prestigious membership includes Harvard University, Stanford University, Duke University and MIT as well as the University of Kansas, which led efforts to establish the coalition.

Open access policies have been adopted by universities to encourage faculty to make peer-reviewed academic output accessible via the Internet to anyone, regardless of location or affiliation, and without charge.

“By joining this coalition, Concordia continues to play a leadership role in Canada in supporting the principles of open access,” says University Librarian Gerald Beasley. The coalition will share experiences, strengthen current policies and advocate for open access on a national level.

Concordia’s landmark open access policy was approved by Senate on April 16, 2010. The policy promotes the deposit of peer-reviewed research and creative work in open access forums such as the university’s own research repository, Spectrum.

In launching the coalition, University of Kansas Dean of Libraries Lorraine J. Haricombe noted that, “Society depends on universities for the creation of new knowledge, so we have a responsibility to disseminate and share that knowledge to gain the most benefit for science and society.”

Related links:
•  “Spectrum: Concordia University’s Research Repository”
•  “Concordia University Opens its Research Findings to the World” – Concordia Journal, April 29, 2010
•  “Open Access at Concordia”
•  “How to Support Open Access”