latest on 21st century research communications system for Canada

It can be a bit of a challenge to descry where Canada's national science policy direction is going.

I made a previous attempt in my June 2005 posting "overview of scholarly communication in Canada", which included excerpts from a presentation by Dr. Carty, the science advisor to the Prime Minister.  His main two points were

1. “Open Access” – Science Meets The Information Commons
2. Harnessing The New Power Of Data

In his latest writing "A global information system needs a culture of sharing" in the November 2005 issue of University Affairs, Dr. Carty continues to describe a bold and consistent vision of a very open scholarly communications system.  It will be interesting to see how this vision translates into policy.

So, what is Canada’s vision for a 21st-century global system for disseminating and communicating research data? Above all, our goal must be to maximize the impact of research for societies everywhere, not just the developed world. People in developing nations must be able to access and contribute to the vitality of the global research information and communications system. An open-access philosophy is critical to the system’s success: if research findings and knowledge are to be built upon and used by other scientists, then this knowledge must be widely available on the web, not just stored in published journals that are often expensive and not universally available.         

From a Canadian perspective, a 21st century research communications system would share certain attributes. It would:

• take full advantage of the enormous potential of new information and communication technologies;
• be capable of handling an unprecedented flow of information in a wide variety of formats;
• bring Canadian research knowledge to the world and bring the world’s research knowledge to Canada;
• be accessible by all Canadians, in all sectors, ensuring that public investment in scientific research leads to wealth creation and improvements in social and cultural well-being.            

With this type of system a researcher could access, from any corner of the globe, the full texts of relevant journal articles; a comprehensive set of monographs and theses; research data sets that underlie published outcomes; research reports and non-peer-reviewed research materials from both academia and government; and the electronic tools necessary to manage this volume of material.            

Creating a system with these attributes is no longer just a question of developing appropriate technologies; for the most part these already exist. Rather, it’s a matter of building, integrating and improving the technical infrastructure, operational standards, research support systems, regulations and institutional roles and responsibilities. It’s also a matter of nurturing a culture of open access and sharing, beyond what researchers have ever embraced.

via Open Access News

also noted by Loomware, Michael Geist, Stephen Downes, Digital Copyright Canada (Russell McOrmond), Creative Commons Canada blog