Celebrating International Open Access Week 2025@DLIS CUTN

Dear All,

This is to inform you that the Department of Library and Information Science, Central University of Tamil Nadu, has scheduled a celebration of International Open Access Week 2025. 

Mr. Mohamed Baessa, Interim Library Manager, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and Manager of Research Output & Preservation Services, will be the invited speaker to deliver a talk on “Open Access: Institutional Pathways Toward Knowledge Ownership” on October 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM (IST) through Google Meet.

Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/bwu-eunf-upz

Date & Time: 22nd October 2025, 02:00 PM (IST)

Abstract of the Program

Since the Budapest Open Access Declaration in 2001, the institutional Open Access (OA) movement has continued to reshape scholarly communication by making research outputs freely available online to anyone, anywhere, with minimal restrictions on use. The overarching goal has been to increase the visibility, usage, and impact of research, while addressing the central question behind this year’s Open Access Week theme: “Who owns our knowledge?”

Over the years, universities have adopted various approaches to answer this question through multiple OA pathways—primarily Green OA, which enables self-archiving through institutional repositories, and Gold OA, which provides immediate access via publishers. More recently, Transformative Agreements have emerged, converting subscription spending into support for open publishing. Each pathway offers distinct advantages; however, institutions often adopt a blend of these approaches to meet the diverse needs of disciplines and financial contexts.

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a graduate research university established in 2009 in Saudi Arabia, brings together faculty and students from over 120 nationalities to conduct cutting-edge research in key areas such as water, energy, environment, and food. KAUST has been at the forefront of advancing Open Access—establishing its institutional repository in 2011, adopting a Green OA policy in 2014, and signing its first Transformative Agreement in 2019. Today, KAUST maintains one of the highest Open Access compliance rates globally, exceeding 80% over the past five years through a combination of Green OA, Gold OA publishing, and transformative agreements with major STEM publishers.

These achievements underscore the University’s strong commitment to Open Access and faculty engagement, demonstrating how coordinated institutional strategies can enhance research visibility and foster knowledge ownership within and beyond the academic community.

This program will take you through KAUST’s Open Access journey, highlighting key milestones, lessons learned, and strategies that have strengthened research visibility, faculty engagement, and knowledge ownership both within and beyond the University.

All are invited to attend the program.