Strategies and a roadmap to implement Open Access policies in the Latin American and Caribbean region | Agricultural Information Management Standards (AIMS)

"The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recently held a consultation with experts and policy specialists from the Latin America and Carribbean (LAC) countries to develop strategies and a roadmap to implement Open Access within the LAC region. The report of the consultation entitled 'Open Access to Scientific Information and Research : Concepts and Policies' has since been published.   The Objectives of the Consultation ... [1]  Strengthen awareness of the participants on the potential of OA in scientific knowledge sharing that can be dramatically accelerated by ICTs;  [2] Provide analysis for anticipating foreseeable trends and emerging challenges in order to enable stakeholders to develop strategies and policies for implementation of OA;  [3] Develop a partnership and collaboration among interested stakeholders as an enabling mechanism to improve access to and sharing of scientific information and research through OA. Joint Statement of the Consultation ...  At the end of meeting, the participants issued a joint statement in support of strategies and routes to implement Open Access policies in the LAC region. The statement acknowledges that, Open Access has a beneift to science, innovation process and scholarly communication; the need for a joint approach to the region's challenges in Open Access and also a collective approach to OA publishing, OA Sharing and OA advocacy. The statement also stressed the need to develop and conceptualise OA policies and mandates.  Agreed workplan ... A six result based workplan was conceived. The workplan will focus on awareness and advocacy;support countries in the preparation of open access policy implementation; OA Capacity building and support to regional organisations. UNESCO will take a leading role and partner with stakeholders in implementing the workplan and fullfilling its aspects within the joint statement of the consultation.  The funding support for the consultation was provided by the Government of Japan and by Regular