The Bridge to Knowledge – Open Access to Scientific Research Results on Multidisciplinary Open System Transferring Knowledge Platform

Abstract: The European policy of Open Access to scientific research is now one of the key issues discussed in public debates on the future development of scientific communication. The implementation of Open Access tools has significant impact on scientific and economic growth. On the one hand, Open Access accelerates disseminating new research findings and facilitates recognition of authors on a more global scale. On the other hand, Open Access helps provide equal access to knowledge and stimulates innovation. Thus, it has an important role in creating the modern information society and economic growth. International organisations, the European Union and governments of individual countries support the idea of Open Access giving recommendations and guidelines concerning making the outputs of research financed from public funds freely available. The paper aims to discuss the process of preparing and implementing the Open Access policy at the institutional level as well as the functionality and tasks of the Open Repository which is now being established on the Multidisciplinary Open System Transferring Knowledge Platform. The acronym of its name in the Polish language is “MOST Wiedzy”, which means “Bridge of Knowledge”. The repository is a project of an archive of scientific publications, research data, scientific dissertations, as well as other documents and sources, created as a result of scientific experiments and other research and development work conducted at the Gdańsk University of Technology. It will also be a solution supporting communication between researchers and a platform for cooperation between science and business.