Moving OA Forward Focus Sessions: The relevance of Open Research Information

"Key research data and analytics—such as publication metadata, citation counts, and funding information—are often locked behind paywalls, creating a “black box” that limits transparency, accountability, and academic freedom. These closed systems influence researcher careers and funding decisions without clear scrutiny or reproducibility.

For negotiators, understanding the power of truly open research information—freely accessible, reusable, and transparent data on research outputs and impact—is crucial for shaping a fair, transparent and sustainable open access ecosystem. In this session, Miranda Bennett (California Digital Library) and Ludo Waltman (Leiden University/Barcelona Declaration) will explore the background and context of the Barcelona Declaration and the work of the Joint Task Force which aims to develop practical tools and guidance to help negotiators embed open research information into their negotiation objectives. The session presentations will be recorded and later published on the OA2020 webpage.Key research data and analytics—such as publication metadata, citation counts, and funding information—are often locked behind paywalls, creating a “black box” that limits transparency, accountability, and academic freedom. These closed systems influence researcher careers and funding decisions without clear scrutiny or reproducibility. For negotiators, understanding the power of truly open research information—freely accessible, reusable, and transparent data on research outputs and impact—is crucial for shaping a fair, transparent and sustainable open access ecosystem. In this session, Miranda Bennett (California Digital Library) and Ludo Waltman (Leiden University/Barcelona Declaration) will explore the background and context of the Barcelona Declaration and the work of the Joint Task Force which aims to develop practical tools and guidance to help negotiators embed open research information into their negotiation objectives. The session presentations will be recorded and later published on the OA2020 webpage."