Open Access-udfordringen

A difficult task

I would like to begin by driving home a fundamental point.

We must disseminate our knowledge. We must ensure quality through a peer review. And we must find business models that combine the two. That is our task.

It sounds simple enough. But it is by no means easy. It is actually quite difficult.

The road so far

Internet distribution has changed our world. In 1999, there were an estimated 154 million internet users. Today, that figure has passed 2 billion.

It has become easier to share knowledge, to an extent. EU countries, including Denmark, recognised this and concurred with the Council of Ministers' conclusion in 2007 to ensure free and easy access to publically-funded research results.

On that basis, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation appointed a committee. The committee presented proposals for how the Council of Ministers' conclusions could be put into practice in Denmark.

The report has been fiercely debated to say the least. But it is a debate I appreciate.

It is clear that the principle of Open Access enjoys widespread support. And that Open Access can lead to growth. This is important. But it is also clear that there is disagreement on which path to take.

Business models

To find solutions, the ministry arranged a workshop on potential business models for Open Access a few weeks ago.

Again, there was a healthy debate on which path to take. Are we going to choose the green path. The gold path. Or another path all together.

Allow me to reiterate:

We must find a balance between intellectual property, accessibility and research quality.

Research quality must not be compromised in the attempt to further accessibility. Likewise, intellectual property must not limit the possibility of rapid knowledge dissemination of publically-funded research.

It must be possible!

A business model need not be static – it can be changed and adapted.

Take the music industry for example. Rumours of its death have been greatly exaggerated. They found new business models. You can now buy digital music on iTunes. Or stream music on TDC play or Telenor WIMP.

New technology generates new business models.

International vision

But in our national debate we should not forget the international aspect. The majority of Danish research is not published in Danish. A Danish Open Access model must therefore be compatible with the models of other EU countries.

Knowledge dissemination must not be limited by borders. We must build more bridges – and limit the number of barriers.

Therefore I appreciate that many international experts have travelled to Copenhagen today. Your experience will be a valuable contribution.

Furthermore, I am in close dialogue with the European Research Commissioner. And I will share my impressions of today's debate with her.

Request to researchers

Open Access works and the debate has now stretched out over many months.

Patience is not my greatest virtue. But we must make important choices – complex choices. And many considerations must be taken into account.

Businesses demand easy access to knowledge. The sooner the better. Publishers fear for their existence. Universities are concerned about rising licensing costs.

Therefore the choices we make must rest on a sensible foundation. And this is where an open debate is once again the best way forward.

In that regard, I would like to make a request of a special group. I'm thinking of researchers. What is your stand on this? How can your knowledge be communicated and disseminated? What is the best way to build on your knowledge?

The road ahead

Free and easy access to publically-funded research results. That is the goal. That is what we agree on.

Now we must find the path to take us there. And as you know, where there's a will there's a way.

I look forward to a constructive conference.

Thank you.