“Researchers need to realise the power of Open Access”
Name: Predrag Pale
Position: Head of Laboratory
Expertise: ICT in education, Information security
Institution: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Country: Croatia
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An interview with Predrag Pale on 15 January 2016
Why, in your opinion, do we need Open Access (OA) to research?
I primarily got interested in the concept of Open Access by believing in researchers having the freedom to share information. In addition, increased Open Access to all types of research output used and produced throughout the research process will help facilitate more rapid research collaboration.
What OA activities are you involved in?
I stimulate students to share and publish their work on the web throughout their education.
What still needs to be done to provide more Open Access to research?
More Open Access to research needs a three-pronged approach. First of all, we need the science community to embrace Open Access – seeing the benefits, and officially supporting it. On another level, we need legislation to make things easier. Thirdly, we need funders to include this in their policies.
Can Open Access have a positive effect on research careers?
Open Access can definitively impact positively on research careers! On the one hand, it brings faster exposure to the work of young researchers. In addition, it stimulates better collaboration for marginal research and, correspondingly, deepens and extends future research opportunities through increased collaboration.
Who do you engage with to spread the OA message, and how?
I regularly talk to university administration and funders of R&D. When talking to university management, however, it is still somewhat challenging to discuss Open Access with them and for them to decide for a policy change that promotes more Open Access to research.
What can scholars and/or administration do to promote openness to research?
Researchers need to see the value of research published in Open Access publications. They need to put in perspective – and perhaps minimise – the importance of publishing in non-open access journals, and realise that Open Access means both freedom and power for research.
Copyright: Pedrag Pale, University of Zagreb. Creative Commons CC-BY Licence.
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