SPARC Europe

SPARC Europe is one of Europe’s key and long-standing voices advocating for unfettered access to research and education — for the academic and education community. Since its founding in 2004, SPARC Europe has been a key player in driving Open Access forward by supporting open policymaking and advocating for progressing Open Science and Open Education agendas in HIgher Education across Europe. SPARC Europe focuses on policymaking, capacity-building, advocacy and community engagement to help make Open the default in Europe. In recent years, SPARC Europe has also been focussed on ensuring more equity in Open on the one hand and that what so many of us have invested in over the years is sustained going forward on the other.

SPARC Europe is the WP lead for sustaining institutional publishing, and is responsible for engagement activities of the DIAMAS project.

Diamond Open Access Standard (DOAS) Guide for Journals
DIAMAS Conversation Series: Applying DOAS – insights from early adopters
The DIAMAS Project Final Conference – Registration is Open
Regional Workshop for Editors & Publishers of Open Access Journals
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Toolsuite and Guidelines for OA Publishing
DIAMAS Conversation Series for the Libraries
Regional online workshop for editors and publishers of OA journals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. Recorded October 30, 2024, 2.00 PM Open Journal Systems (OJS), free open-source software that facilitates the management and publishing of scholarly journals, plays an important role in the development of infrastructure for Open Access scholarly publishing, as evidenced by the fact that more than 40,000 journals worldwide use OJS. The workshop was hosted for editors and publishers of OA journals, both those who already use OJS and those who are considering using it. During the workshop, several regional examples of OJS are presented.
Regional Workshop for Editors & Publishers of Open Access Journals (Croatian & Serbian)
Recording of the first event in the DIAMAS conversation series for Libraries. Event took place on May 30, 2024. Following an overview of the key findings from our 2023 survey on Diamond OA publishing, the meeting focuses on the pressing issue of financial sustainability for European small- and medium-size publishers and their service providers. Drawing on the results of extensive research, we shed light on key sustainability considerations and challenges faced by them.
WEBINAR: Conversation series for libraries: Advancing diamond OA in Europe
Recording of the second event in the DIAMAS Conversation Series for Libraries. Event took place on 24 September 2024 at 12:00 p.m. CEST. The meeting continues the DIAMAS Conversation Series for libraries and will focus on the standards and tools crafted to enhance the quality, efficiency and sustainability of Diamond OA publishing. We will introduce the Diamond Open Access Standard (DOAS), a comprehensive quality framework for Diamond OA publishers, and demonstrate the DOAS self-assessment tool, which enables publishers to evaluate their compliance with this standard. Presentation links: https://zenodo.org/records/13876059 https://zenodo.org/records/13876059
WEBINAR: Conversation series for Libraries: Standards and Tools to Elevate Diamond OA Publishing
The Diamond Open Access Standard (DOAS) sets essential and testable criteria to ensure equitable, transparent, and high-quality scholarly publishing. It advocates for a transparent publishing model governed by the academic community. This video gives an overview of a key component of DOAS: the Self-Assessment Tool for Diamond OA. It explains how the tool works from a practical standpoint and how it equips institutions with resources to assess compliance and enhance publishing practices, facilitating progress towards Diamond OA-level publishing standards. Visit the self-assessment tool: https://diamas.fecyt.es/ Learn more about DOAS: https://diamasproject.eu/introducing-doas-the-benchmark-for-diamond-open-access-quality/
DOAS: Self-Assessment Tool for Diamond OA
DIAMAS and CRAFT-OA hosted a joint event to explore the criteria for Diamond Open Access (OA) in this webinar held on May 16, 2024. In this 90-minute session, we explored what makes a journal Diamond OA, engaging with the community to define the essential requirements. The discussion featured an operational definition of Diamond OA, crafted collaboratively by DIAMAS and CRAFT-OA, highlighting its importance in enhancing the discovery and accessibility of Diamond OA journals. This webinar provided a platform for stakeholders to help shape these crucial criteria through community consultation. Slides available: https://zenodo.org/records/11262076
WEBINAR: Shaping Diamond OA - Criteria for Journals
Event held: 02/04/2024 Presentation slides: https://zenodo.org/records/10949008 In the rapidly evolving landscape of scholarly publishing, the financial sustainability of Diamond Open Access (OA) journals has become a critical concern for European small- and mid-size publishers and their service providers. This topic holds a central position in the priorities of the DIAMAS Project. The webinar, organised by SPARC Europe, provides an insightful overview of the multifaceted aspects of financial sustainability within institutional Diamond OA publishing. It draws on the results of extensive research amongst hundreds of institutional publishers and service providers through surveys, interviews and focus groups. Watch this event back to understand DIAMAS findings on financial sustainability.
WEBINAR: The Dynamics of Funding Diamond OA - Opportunities & Challenges
[Regionalni vebinar za urednike i izdavače naučnih časopisa u otvorenom pristupu / Regionalni webinar za urednike i izdavače znanstvenih časopisa u otvorenom pristupu] [ LANGUAGES: Croatian and Serbian] Regional webinar for editors and publishers of open access scholarly journals in Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia was organized by the DIAMAS project on 1 March 2024. During the webinar, the state of institutional open access scholarly publishing in Europe was discussed based on the results of the survey conducted in 2023 as part of the DIAMAS project, with a special accent on the following topics: Editorial quality Technical aspects of journal publishing Visibility, indexing, and metric indicators Presentation slides: https://zenodo.org/records/10810921
[WEBINAR] Regional event for editors & publishers of open-access journals BA, HR, ME, MK, RS, & SI
Revisit our webinar, which took place on Wednesday, February 7th, at 10:00 AM CET, where we discussed the insights from our Institutional Publishing Landscape survey. Presentations available here: https://zenodo.org/records/10635064 Our research peeled back the layers of Institutional Publishing in Europe, exploring its organisation, structure, and financing in depth. These findings push the DIAMAS project into a new phase, where guidelines, recommendations, and practical tools were crafted to bolster Diamond Publishing and enhance equitable access to scientific work. 🔍 Highlights of the Webinar: Presentation of key survey findings Insights into the implications for Diamond Publishing Q&A with our team
WEBINAR: Navigating Europe’s Institutional Publishing Landscape (07.02.24)
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