The Information Commons for Science is a multi-stakeholder initiative that will be launched in Tunis in November 2005 as an outcome of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society. The initiative has the following goals: (1) increased awareness and improved understanding of the benefits of broad accessibility to public scientific data and information; (2) broader adoption of successful methods and models of open access, reuse of publicly-funded scientific data and information, and cooperative sharing of research tools and materials among researchers; and (3) coordination of the efforts of the many stakeholders in the scientific community who are developing initiatives to facilitate these objectives. It is important to emphasize that the Information Commons for Science will help coordinate and build on the strengths of its diverse participants and will not duplicate existing efforts.
Why is an Information Commons for Science initiative needed? From a scientific perspective, access to and use of scientific data and information have never been more important for the progress of society. The rapid advances in digital technologies and networks over the past two decades have significantly altered and improved the ways that data and information can be produced, disseminated, managed and used both in science and in many other spheres of human endeavour. The adoption of many promising new open access initiatives from the bottom up, coupled with the recent introduction of some new top-down legislative and policy proposals in many countries make this an appropriate time to undertake a comprehensive review of what has been learned, and to develop an integrating framework and vision for the future.
In December 2003, more than 172 countries participated in the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). These participants recognized that science has a central role in the development of the information society and that many of the existing and prospective advances in building the information society have been made possible by the sharing of research results . The role of e-science in the information society was also recognized in the subsequent Agenda for Action endorsed at the Summit . A major underlying theme of the Agenda for Action is the importance of access to information and knowledge. Indeed, many of the principles and actions identified in the first phase of the WSIS emphasize the importance of access to research data and the scientific literature generated from publicly-funded research. For example, Article C3 focuses specifically on “Access to Information and Knowledge” and C3 10(a) promotes the development of policy guidelines for the “development and promotion of public domain information as an important international instrument promoting public access to information.” The proposed Information Commons for Science initiative will build on these and other related principles, taking into consideration the interests of all stakeholders in public research in both the developed and developing worlds.
Other information:
http://www.codata.org/wsis/GlobalCommonsforScienceSept1.html
This project has been submitted to the Golden Book database.
Líneas de acción de la CMSI relacionadas con esta actividad: Tema 1. La función de los gobiernos y de todas las partes interesadas en la promoción de las TIC para el desarrollo
Tema 3. Acceso a la información y al conocimiento
Tema 4. Creación de capacidades
Tema 11. Cooperación internacional y regional
Socios:
CODATA is currently developing the Initiative with the following organizations:
The International Council for Science (ICSU), The International Council for Scientific and Technical information (ICSTI), The International Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), Academies of Science in Developing Countries (TWAS), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Economic, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
