Open access in the UK and what it means for scientific research: Joint statement from the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Institute of Physics, The Royal Society, The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Society of Biology

Use the link to access the full text statement excerpted  as follows: "On Monday 25th February, representatives from Government, funders, libraries, university administrators, Learned Societies, publishers and researchers came together at a conference, sponsored by five of the leading British Learned Societies, to discuss the challenges of implementing UK Government policy on Open Access   (OA) publication and the policies of research funders that have followed it ... Three key themes emerged from the day‟s presentations and discussions: [1]  All stakeholders need to work together constructively to move away from the polemical to the practical. There was strong agreement across stakeholders that although change is in motion, it is important to recognise that the exact future landscape is impossible to predict and that we must focus efforts on achieving sustainable solutions to the challenges ahead. [2] Clarity regarding the policies of research funders is essential. A clear understanding of what policies require in terms of permitting the reuse of published information, and acceptable embargo periods, is crucial to enable all stakeholders to implement these policies effectively and sustainably. We welcome Government's and RCUK's efforts to achieve this through endorsing the 'decision tree'  shown below, as the preferred guide for authors to ensure compliance with Government and RCUK policy. We also welcome the announcement by RCUK that they will make available to researchers a list of journals that comply with their policy. [3] The needs and concerns of researchers must be addressed. Institutional stakeholders are nearing readiness to implement OA policies. However, many of those who will be most directly affected - the researchers themselves - are unaware of funders' requirements, or are concerned about the policy's implications for where they can publish, how frequently they can publish, the affordability of publication, and whether their intellectual property rights will be affected. Implementing OA policies will require a substantial shift in community attitudes and behaviour in some disciplines, and all stakeholders need to increase their efforts to communicate more effectively with researchers. Higher Education Institutions have a key role to play in facilitating the shift to OA by simplifying processes for researchers, and communicating the benefits of open access more effectively ..."