Want NWO funding? Publish Open Access
The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) will only give funding to researchers who publish their output on an Open Access platform. Starting 1 december, this goes for all calls for proposal. The science financier moves from ‘Open Access as soon as possible’ to ‘immediate Open Access’.On its website, NWO writes: “When current knowledge is not directly available for everybody, or only behind a paywall, that slows down scientific progression. That is why NWO advocates Open Access: direct and free access to scientific publications for everybody.” According to the post, this is the first time that a national science financier makes this demand.
Scientists and universities have been negotiating with scientific publishers about Open Access for quite some time now. The negotiators have even took the first steps in a plan to boycott Elsevier, one of the biggest players in the field. The militant attitude of state secretary Sander Dekker is applauded in other countries.
If a scientist has extra costs because of the new rule, he can ask for funding from NWO’s Incentive Fund Open Access.
