DataCite is proud to announce the launch of our Global Access Program (GAP), which is designed to increase access to and adoption of PID services and infrastructure for communities beyond the Global North. The program is made possible by Grant 2022-316573 from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
The Importance of Global Access
DataCite is a global membership community that shares a common interest: to ensure that research outputs and resources are openly available and connected so that their reuse can advance knowledge across and between disciplines, now and in the future. We are mission-driven and value-led. We are guided by our core values: reliability, transparency, trust and inclusivity. Our vision of connecting research and identifying knowledge can only be realized by removing barriers to access and participation on a global scale.
The Global Access Program is based on three pillars: increasing community awareness, supporting and developing infrastructure, and lowering financial barriers to access. These pillars were defined and prioritized by a working group of DataCite members, including current DataCite members from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. As a first step, through the Global Access Program, we are pleased to be hiring three new team members based in Africa, Latin America and Middle East or Asia. We believe that staff based in these regions will be best placed to understand the regional needs and opportunities, as well as delivering and refining the program.
The program conceptualization was led by the DataCite Membership Model Advisory Group (MMAG) and as noted by Mohamed A. Ba-Essa, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), “One of the main obstacles that hold many research institutions from providing research output-related services is the question of how and where to start. The lack of understanding of the global research ecosystem and the current education opportunities is a more significant barrier than the cost”.
Reflecting on the potential impact of the program, Tiwonge Banda, UbuntuNet Alliance, shared that “Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa have to prioritise among priorities. The effect is that some important things are left out. The Global Access Program therefore comes at the right time as it will increase access to DataCite’s open infrastructure thereby contributing to the region’s universities and research centres making their research data more accessible, sharable and findable. I like the holistic approach of the program in that it will address matters relating to capacity building, infrastructure and resources for persistent identifiers.”.
DataCite is committed to taking a proactive role in supporting communities beyond the Global North to develop and adopt open infrastructure through a comprehensive and collaborative approach. As part of this commitment, our goal is to actively address the different challenges that currently prevent organizations from fully participating in and benefiting from our infrastructure services.
“There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution for infrastructure, particularly when it comes to supporting a truly global membership community,” says Matt Buys, Executive Director, DataCite. “Our goal at DataCite is to support and serve the diverse research ecosystem and we are committed to partnering with organizations and emerging DataCite communities to jointly develop a more open and robust global research infrastructure that makes open science a reality.”
“DataCite’s services and infrastructure are critical for ensuring research is reproducible, accessible, and interoperable. We are thrilled to support DataCite in their efforts to expand access, build community, and promote global inclusivity.” -Carly Strasser, Open Science Program Manager at CZI.
More information regarding the Global Access Program can be found on our website.
Join us in this exciting initiative to promote and support a more equitable, diverse and inclusive research ecosystem!
About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our communities. Through collaboration, providing resources and building technology, our mission is to help build a more inclusive, just and healthy future for everyone.
About DataCite
DataCite is a leading global non-profit membership organisation that provides persistent identifiers (DOIs) for research data and other research outputs. DataCite is an active participant in the research community and promotes data sharing and citation through community-building efforts and outreach activities.
Gabriela Mejias
