Over the past four years, a group of scientific funding entities has been working together toward one goal: to ensure that publicly funded research results are made available openly. Learn more about the history of Plan S.
Over the past four years, a group of scientific funding entities has been working together toward one goal: to ensure that publicly funded research results are made available in open access. Learn more about the history of Plan S.
In September 2018, a group of scientific funding bodies decided to adopt a new open access policy: all funding recipients from these bodies would be required to publish research results in publications without paywalls. The move, dubbed "Plan S," assumed the goal “make immediate and complete Open Access a reality”.
This decision initially originated within the European Commission, having been developed by the Science Europe association. Since then, the movement has evolved into the creation of an international coalition – cOAlition S – which has been coordinating efforts to implement this plan. The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), through your FCCN unit, is one of the 20 financing entities that make up this organization.
The organization assumes 10 basic principles with a view to one objective: to ensure that all research results funded by public entities (regional, national or international) are published in open access journals or platforms or made available, without prejudice, through Open Access repositories, such as RCAAP.
At the heart of Plan S is the idea that “universality is a fundamental principle of Science”, that is, that “only results that can be discussed, challenged, and, where appropriate, tested and reproduced by others qualify as scientific.” It is considered that, in the 21st century “no type of Science should be trapped behind paywalls.”
Plan S in Portugal
In Portugal, the FCT has been working on implementing Plan S, and this process is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2022. Throughout 2021, the FCT negotiated with most publishers present at b-on, contracts that guarantee authors from b-on institutions, under the conditions negotiated with each of these publishers, open access publication, at no additional cost.
During 2022, efforts have also been made to prepare the research community for the new open access paradigm.
Still during 2022, the FCT will operate the review and subsequent dissemination of its Open Access/Open Science Policy, with the consequent updating of regulations and operationalization of new contracts.
In collaboration with the European Commission and participating entities, cOAlition S seeks to coordinate the implementation of the Open Science principles advocated by Plan S. The organization extends an invitation to all public and private scientific funding entities: “join cOAlition S”.
