Ana María Cetto is a Mexican physicist and research professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Last month she was named president of UNESCO’s Open Science Steering Committee. Open science aims to make scientific information, data and results more accessible and useful to society.
Cetto warns that science has faced a process of privatisation. She explains that some publishing companies charge both to publish and to access articles. This pay-to-publish model and access fees limit access to knowledge and concentrate benefits in a few powerful countries, she says.
To respond, Cetto promotes regional platforms and policies that keep scientific knowledge a public good. She chairs Latindex, which makes scientific journals from Latin America and other regions available free of charge. Other initiatives, such as CLACSO and indexing services like Redalyc and Scielo, also support open access and open science.
Cetto adds that open science must include other knowledge systems and build dialogue with communities outside formal science. Governments that signed UNESCO’s recommendation now face the task of turning words into action.
Difficult words
- privatisation — transfer of public services to private ownersprivatisation.
- publishing — producing and distributing written work
- access — ability to reach or use information or services
- concentrate — to give control or benefits to a few
- platform — online place that shares information or servicesplatforms
- recommendation — official advice or proposal for action by groups
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could regional platforms help people in your country access scientific knowledge?
- What difficulties might governments face when they try to turn UNESCO’s recommendation into action?
- In what ways can researchers build dialogue with communities outside formal science?
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