Open access allows free access to, and distribution of, published articles. Unrestricted access to research means that individuals aren’t limited to just seeing content from the journals they have subscribed to. Authors retain copyright of their work through a Creative Commons attribution license, meaning that they or anyone else can distribute it and reuse it as needed. The resulting increased prominence of published work plays a role in the development of research culture. Open access also provides international visibility, which raises the profile of African research and enables researchers to participate more fully in the international community.
African journals which focus on regionally relevant results are vital, and need support. Enabling them to be open access brings the benefits described above.
There are a number of ways of funding open access. The most common way is via an article-processing charge (APC), a flat charge covering the entire cost of the publication process. APCs are paid for by research funders, institutions, and societies. Many open access publishers, including BioMed Central, waive the article-processing charge automatically for researchers in low-income countries. As open access gains momentum, it is important to ensure that it is financially sustainable for African research and as a model for African journals.
BioMed Central: www.biomedcentral.com
Open access and the Developing World: www.biomedcentral.com/developingcountries Contact: Ruth King, Journals Publisher,
Ruth.King@biomedcentral.com