Following the end of a period of consultation over the summer, Research Councils UK (RCUK) is maintaining momentum on its proposed position on access to research outputs. A final announcement is expected in November.
The eight UK Research Councils, under their joint working umbrella of RCUK, published their emerging views on access to research outputs in June 2005 and ran a consultation for stakeholders until August 31. The Research Councils are considering the inputs to the consultation through a cross-council working group and are expected to make a decision in late October.
Drs. Astrid Wissenburg, who co-ordinated the consultation for RCUK, said, "The priority for the Research Councils is to ensure the availability and accessibility of the outputs of research funded by the taxpayer. This broad principle, together with concern for value for money, long-term preservation of research and maintaining quality assurance through peer-review, has been supported by nearly all of the submissions to the consultation."
She added, "The Research Councils are committed to an ongoing process of consultation and dialogue with publishers, learned societies and other stakeholders who will be affected by the proposed position. The position that we outlined in June includes a commitment to a review in 2008. This will be informed by a study conducted in consultation with key stakeholders. The schedule we are working to allows time for interactions to continue and for us to see what the effects of a change to the publishing model may be,"
As a final announcement is not expected until November there will be no implications for Research Council grants in October as originally proposed. It is more likely that any changes in grant conditions for Research Council funded researchers will only come into effect for grants awarded after early 2006.
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Contacts
Matt Goode
RCUK Media Officer. Tel: 01793 413299
Notes to Editors
Research Councils UK (RCUK) is the partnership between the UK's eight Research Councils. Through RCUK, the Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support. The Research Councils are independent non-departmental public bodies, funded by the Science Budget through the Office of Science and Technology.
RCUK was created to increase the collective visibility, leadership and policy influence of the Research Councils; to stimulate multi-disciplinary research that encourages collaboration; to provide a single focus for collective dialogue with stakeholders and to encourage greater harmonisation of internal operations.
The partnership is led by the RCUK Executive Group, which meets monthly and comprises the chief executives of the eight Research Councils. The Group is currently chaired by Professor Ian Diamond, chief executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.
The eight UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC);
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC);
- Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC);
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC);
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);
- Medical Research Council (MRC);
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC);
- Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council (PPARC).