Tag: Discuss

To combat global challenges like climate change, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) organised a framework in 2015 to effectively rectify these issues. In this blog, we highlight how research and academia play a vital role in advancing the SDGs through the Publishers Compact, from generating evidence-based solutions to shaping policies that drive sustainable development. We also explore the ways in which the SDGs are helping to reduce inequalities in research communities.

What are the sustainable development goals? 

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a total of 17 goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a global call to action to prioritise and overcome the world’s most imperative social, economic, and environmental issues. They provide a clear roadmap for countries, organisations, and individuals to transform our world into an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable place for present and future generations. 

Caption: image credits: sdg-tracker.org

Which SDGs directly impact research communities? 

• SDG 4: Quality Education

This sustainable development goal is focused on promoting equal access to quality education for all. Mainly targeting STEM fields, SDG 4 aims to increase the skill and knowledge of the global workforce to encourage and increase contributions to research and innovation. By 2030, SDG 4 will ensure that gender disparities in educational sectors are eliminated, increase the supply of qualified teachers in developing countries and build educational facilities that are child and disability friendly. 

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 5 strongly focuses on eliminating discrimination against women and girls to promote their equal participation in all aspects of life. By addressing gender inequality in research communities, such as the underrepresentation of women in STEM disciplines, the sustainable development goals can create a more diverse and inclusive scientific community.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

SDG 10 aims to reduce social, economic and political inequalities in all aspects of life, including research communities. By promoting equal access to research opportunities, resources, and funding,  SDG 10 aims to level the playing field and reduce disparities in the scientific community. 

• SDG 17: Partnerships for Goals

SDG 17 places an emphasis on the importance of collaboration to achieve all social development goals. By encouraging and promoting collaboration between researchers, academic institutions, governments and other relevant bodies; the SDGs can create a more integrated research community. 

To further encourage participation in the succession of the SDGs, the general public needs to be aware of the progress made and the research conducted to progress each SDG. To understand the growth since the launch of the SDGs in 2015, the United Nations has created an accurate SDG tracker.

What is the SDGs Publishers Compact?

Launched in 2020, the Publishers Compact consists of fellows segregated into 4 groups to tackle 4 key initiatives to amplify SDG content in the publishing sector which will disseminate worldwide and encourage the application and general practice of the SDGs within other industries.  

Firstly, the Compact ensures the integration of SDG educational materials. Academic societies have been developing methods for publishers to recognise and rectify the lack of SDG-related content and activities in their education systems and materials. An increase in SDG-related content within schools and universities will likely result in a higher participation and contribution from students, professors, researchers and life long learners in the succession of the 17 goals.

Moreover, the compact promotes applying and practicing the SDGs. This is to encourage authors, editors, and publishers to create summarised content and formats that are useful and appealing to various industries and sectors (such as businesses, services etc). There is also a list of “Top Actions” tips to encourage the integration of SDGs into daily practice and to catalyse research based on the challenges and opportunities practitioners face.

Furthermore, the Publishers Compact is dedicated to redefining the impact indicators of research, like academic rankings and incentives. This is a work in progress, as a list of “Top Actions” tips for publishers, editors, authors, librarians and graduate students is being developed and completed. The committee is preparing a resource to highlight SDG research papers and their impact on policy, education, society and more. 

Finally, the Publishers Compact is committed to shifting culture in higher education. This initiative is dedicated to taking steps to affect culture change throughout the academic and publishing ecosystem. This requires evaluating the various stakeholders and their needs, to move the focus toward the SDGs. While the initial focus will be on connecting with and elevating those already working with SDGs, eventually this will transition to highlighting additional associations (e.g. journal editors), companies (e.g. publishers)  and institutions (e.g. educators and researchers) and the spaces where the SDGs can be incorporated.

Zendy, which is a product of Knowledge E, is a signatory of the United Nations Publishers Compact. In our efforts to democratise knowledge, we are committed to the causes and principles that the SDGs are striving to achieve by 2030. By increasing the dissemination of research globally, we aim to contribute in creating a sustainable world driven by knowledge and research. 

How is open science contributing to the implementation of SDGs?

Open science encourages transparency, collaboration and inclusivity in scientific research by publishing research without restrictions; making it as accessible as possible. This has the potential to significantly contribute to the implementation and succession of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Open science facilitates the dissemination and usage of research to promote evidence-based solutions, which will accelerate the progress towards the SDGs in the following ways.

• Promotes collaborative research and innovation – This enables scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and other relevant bodies to work together across disciplines and regions. This collaborative approach will contribute to interdisciplinary research, the integration of local and indigenous knowledge, and allow diverse perspectives and expertise to be included in the development of sustainable solutions.
• Enhances the accessibility and usability of research outputs – This makes scientific knowledge widely accessible and usable. Open access publishing of research articles, data, books and other research outputs can enable researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from developing regions to access the latest scientific findings and potentially apply them.
• Supports evidence-based policymaking and decision-making processes –  By openly sharing research findings, data, and methodologies, policymakers can access a database of research-based evidence to further advance policy development and implementation. Open science also promotes transparency in the evaluation of policies, allowing for accountability and learning from successes and failures.
• Facilitates advancements that contribute to the SDGs – Openly sharing research data, methodologies, and software can allow collaboration among researchers and enable the development of new technologies and solutions that address complex challenges.
• Promotes inclusivity and diversity in the scientific community – By promoting open and transparent research practices, open science can create opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and people from low-income countries, to participate in the scientific process and contribute their unique perspectives and knowledge to address the SDGs.

At Zendy, we believe research papers and educational materials should be affordable and accessible to anyone anywhere. Zendy Open was launched in an effort to disseminate research papers without paywalls or restrictions. We stand to democratise knowledge so that policymakers, governments, researchers, students and relevant authoritative bodies can make informed research-based decisions that impact society. By creating an open access and open science platform, we look to eliminate discrimination and empower the world through knowledge to create a healthy and equally participative educational environment worldwide. 

What impact will the implementation of SGDs have on the research community?

The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is expected to have a significant impact on the research community in several ways:

1. Research Priorities: Global research priorities will be aligned with the SDGs, leading to an increased emphasis on research that contributes to the achievement of the goals. This could result in greater funding and resources being allocated to research areas that are aligned with the SDGs.
2. Interdisciplinary Research: The SDGs encourage integrated approaches to sustainable development. This will promote interdisciplinary research, where researchers from different disciplines collaborate to address complex and interconnected challenges.
3. Collaboration and Partnerships: The SDGs emphasise the need for partnerships, wherein governments, academia, civil society, private sector, and local communities come together, to collectively work towards achieving the goals. This will result in increased collaboration and partnerships within the research community as well.
4. Open Science and Data Sharing: The SDGs highlight the importance of data and evidence-based decision-making for monitoring progress towards the goals. This may lead to increased demand for open science practices, such as open access publishing, data sharing, and transparent research methodologies. The research community may witness a greater emphasis on open science, data sharing, and transparent research practices to facilitate knowledge exchange, collaboration, and enable evidence-based policymaking.
5. Global and Regional Collaboration: The SDGs are a global agenda, but their implementation requires localised actions and context-specific solutions. The research community may witness increased global and regional collaboration to address local challenges in alignment with the SDGs. This could involve cross-border research collaborations, knowledge-sharing platforms, and policy exchanges to learn from different contexts and promote solutions that are relevant to specific regions.

In summary, the implementation of the SDGs is expected to have a significant impact on the research community. This will result in an increase in publications being disseminated in open access databases to eliminate discrimination in educational sectors and other aspects of society while also promoting interdisciplinary research to find sustainable solutions to the pressing matters the SDGs aim to rectify; furthermore, the Publishers Compact will play a significant role in ensuring that educational sector abides by their commitment to equal access which will accelerate the progress towards the 17 sustainable development goals. The research community is likely to play a critical role in generating knowledge and evidence-based solutions that contribute to the achievement of the SDGs and drive sustainable development worldwide.

Zendy, which is a product of Knowledge E, is a proud signatory of the United Nations Publishers Compact. Discover millions of journal articles, e-books, proceedings and so much more now on Zendy.

It can be argued that writing research papers is a medium of its own, with the delicate academic language and fact-based citations and hypotheses; it’s a skill that is acquired. Academic writing is artistry that most researchers and students have to know how to execute. Research papers are written in a scholarly tone to convey studies and findings in a uniform manner and to eliminate language bias to communicate objectively.

However, writing research papers can be considered a daunting task to some. It requires a significant amount of research, analysis, and organization, which can be time-consuming. However, with the right approach and techniques, it is possible to write a research paper faster without compromising the quality of your work. In this blog, we discuss practical tips and strategies that can help you write research papers faster, from the initial research stage to the final editing and proofreading phase. Whether you are a student, academic researcher, or a professional, these tips will help you to save time and increase your productivity when writing research papers.

• Map out your topic

Brainstorm your academic research topic and create a mindmap. Position the title as a question and as a statement to compare how the approach to the topic changes with just the title. Make a list of aspects you can explore within your research topic and use this as a guide for potential subheadings within your research paper. 

• Conduct Research

Once you have a title finalised, it’s time to research! Find your primary sources and begin reading the relevant research that covers your academic research, figure out how your research can stand out from what is already published and studied. Ensure that there is an adequate amount of material to highlight and discuss within your paper from reliable sources. Furthermore, try to use material from academic library databases as your sources as these are easier to cite and academic databases provide a variety of research and studies across different aspects of a subject. 

• Create an outline

Creating an outline for an academic research paper is an essential step in the writing process. An outline serves as a roadmap that guides you through the paper, ensuring that all the necessary elements are included and presented in a logical manner. The first step in creating an outline is to identify the main topic. Then, break down the topic into smaller subtopics and organise them in a coherent flow. Each subtopic should be supported by evidence and examples. The outline should also include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, along with any necessary headings and subheadings. 

• Structure Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement drives the purpose of your paper, essentially it clearly communicates the areas your research paper will explore along with the question or issue you are proposing to solve. There is a simple formula to creating your thesis statement; limited subject, precise opinion and blueprint of reasons. 

It may be structured like this: 

(Limited subject) This study aims to thoroughly understand the accurate state of refugees globally. (Precise Opinion) The essay will effectively highlight the stereotype perpetuated by mass media in portraying refugees who have been displaced due to national conflicts. (Reasoning Blueprint) To present and challenge this notion, this study will assess and dissect the language utilised in newspaper articles from The Guardian, CNN and Fox News reporting on refugee stories. These newspapers have been selected with consideration to their audiences and general stance in the political sphere. 

• The PEE Method

Upon finalising your introduction and thesis statement, you’ll begin working on the body paragraphs that present evidence and effectively support your statement. There’s also a simple formula for these paragraphs: Point, Evidence and Explanation which is the PEE method. Having a structure to execute the lengthy part of a research paper will speed up your writing process as an effective flow has already been established. 

Your paragraph may be structured like this: 

(Point) The difficulties that refugees face are overlooked when the mass media creates a bias within the general public’s perception of refugees. (Evidence) Smith (2012) argues that there are negative and positive terminologies that can create a bias within the news headline itself and that this tactic is proven best in the case of reporting refugee-related news articles. (Explanation) A common negative term used when reporting on refugees is ‘homeless.’ An effective method to eliminate bias and portray the situation accurately is to use ‘displaced’ instead. 

While there are multiple techniques to write at a faster pace, the most effective is to have an organised structure that flows productively. Following structures for statements and paragraphs saves essential time by just rephrasing and restructuring your research to follow the format. 

Zendy can be a great addition to your academic research, access millions of articles on a seamless platform that generates citations and lets you organise your very own academic reading list.

Open Access is a popular topic in the world of academia and research. Open Access is a movement that seeks to make academic and scientific research available to everyone, free of charge. Due to the movement gaining momentum in recent years, there has been an observed increase in open access library databases. 

While open access benefits users and readers, let’s take a dive into how this revolutionary publishing route can also benefit researchers and authors.

Benefits of Open Access Publishing

• Increased collaboration among researchers

This provides researchers globally with access to the latest information. Which further aids in collaboration on projects without having to pay expensive subscription fees or purchase textbooks. When paywalls and other restrictions are absent, this also allows for interdisciplinary research to grow and disseminate, helping researchers broaden their network and explore emerging and established disciplines alike. 

Interdisciplinary study allows for ideas and characteristics from many disciplines to be synthesised. Simultaneously, it addresses a researcher’s individual differences and helps to develop important, transferable skills.

• Removes barriers to promote inclusivity

Open Access is also helping bridge the gap of inequality in access to research, allowing everyone equal access to scientific literature. This highlights the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) publishers compact, wherein UN signatories work towards the 10 commitments to publish knowledge and research in a way which benefits their focused SDG. 

Inclusivity in academic research is essential for the advancement of knowledge and lifelong learning. It ensures that all voices are heard and respected, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or any other factor. By including diverse perspectives in research, we can gain a better understanding of the world around us and create more meaningful solutions to global problems.

Inclusivity in academia also aids in ensuring research is conducted ethically and with respect for all participants. It encourages researchers to consider the impact of their work on different communities and take into account any potential biases they may have when conducting their studies.

• Increased Citations and Overall Usage

A recent study has depicted that research published in open access journals and databases gains 18% more citations than restricted research. This promotes the dissemination of an author’s work at a faster pace. An increase in citations and downloads drives more traffic to academic research, indicating an improved impact factor for the research. 

Citations and downloads are important measures of the impact of a research paper. When research is cited by other researchers, it depicts that it is relevant to the research community. Similarly, when research papers are downloaded more frequently, it indicates that this specific research is attracting the attention of the readers. This recognition and visibility can help researchers further establish themselves as experts in their respective field. 

Furthermore, when research papers are widely cited and downloaded, it increases the chances of securing funding for future research. Funding institutions, bodies and organizations often observe citations and download statistics to evaluate the impact of academic research. 

• Compliance with Open Access Mandate

An open-access mandate is a policy implemented by a research institution which requires the researcher to make their published, peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers open access by self-archiving their final, peer-reviewed drafts in a freely accessible institutional or disciplinary repository. An alternative route would be by publishing them in an open-access journal. 

Adhering to open access mandates can help researchers to further comply with funders or institutional requirements for reporting and sharing research outputs. Many funding agencies and institutions require researchers to report on the outputs of their work, including publications, data, and software. This ensures that academic research published in open access contributes to a wide research community.

Furthermore, compliance with open access mandates can increase the visibility and impact of research. As discussed, a wider reach equates to a higher number of citations and downloads of academic research. 

In conclusion, open access publishing is revolutionising the academic publishing spectrum. With a wider reach and an increase in the adoption of open access publishing; it can be deduced that both reader and researcher benefit from open access publishing. Researchers are increasingly opting to publish their work via open access pathways due to increased visibility, reaching a wider audience which translates to a higher number of citations.

Discover millions of e-books, journal articles, proceedings and more on Zendy Open. Access unlimited research across an array of disciplines and languages while enjoying a smooth research process with comprehensive filters now on Zendy.

As we reach the end of 2022, we’re celebrating a unique and incredibly exciting year for Zendy. As I type this, we now welcome over 40,000 users to the Zendy platform. A milestone that I am certainly proud of but not surprised by. 

I’m not surprised by the positive response to Zendy because as an industry, we have a long way to go to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has equal affordability and accessibility to knowledge. But we are certainly taking steps in the right direction. There’s never been a time when we need more evidence-based research. 

When I Co-founded Zendy in 2019, Zendy’s ‘hybrid’ subscription-based access model was a new concept for publishers to visualize. Despite this, our passionate and inspired mission to democratise access to scholarly literature was felt and we gained the support of some of the world’s leading publishers. If there’s something I’ve learned in my many decades in the industry, it’s that collaboration is the fundamental ingredient to foster change in the academic publishing spectrum successfully. 

A big thanks to our publishing partners who continue to support our mission and work with us to promote lifelong learning opportunities for individuals in over 130 countries.

As I reflect on collaboration, I think of the endless hours of work put in by the Zendy team. Those who were with us from the beginning, and our many recent joiners – everyone has pioneered together along the way. When you are creating something from scratch, the challenges keep coming. The resilience and commitment of our team is second to none, and I couldn’t be prouder of all the milestones we have reached together. 

It was great to see the team’s talents recently recognized at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards where Zendy received Best Startup in the Education Technology category. 

We had a long list of goals in 2022. A key objective was to participate in as many conversations as possible. It’s a pivotal moment in academic publishing, digitisation is in full effect, and end-user consumption trends continue to spotlight the need for publishers and service providers to diversify content and focus on accessibility and affordability. 

Earlier this year, I joined ChronosHub on a webinar to discuss Affordable Access & Open Access Publishing. The webinar showcased the progress that has been made on the OA front to encourage greater diversity and representation in academic publishing. However, it’s still evident that researchers on the ground, especially in emerging regions, still face hurdles in basic access to journals. 

Watch the full webinar here: https://bit.ly/3PA8GM3

As we see news globally of pirated academic content platforms terminating, it’s critical that, as an industry we focus on how we can continue to deliver value to students, researchers, professionals, and self-learners around the world. By right, everyone should have equal access to scientific literature. Ultimately the goal of research is to enhance society, and the only way to do that is to disseminate research as far and wide as possible. 

The message of dissemination fits well alongside the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As joint signatories of the SGD Publishers Compact, it was excellent to join industry players at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. We had positive meetings with existing publishers and successful meetings with new publishers on the Open Access and paid content front.

We look forward to sharing news of new partnerships in early 2023.  

Shortly after Frankfurt Book Fair, we hosted a collaborative webinar with OAPEN at the beginning of Open Access week to discuss the importance of OA participation and to explore the link between OA content and climate action. The webinar featured two Open Access authors who detailed their publishing experience as authors – a great watch for aspiring authors. 

Watch the full webinar here: https://bit.ly/3V6Hx4f

Q4 has been incredibly busy for us, and we are looking forward to announcing new feature releases that will significantly uplift users’ experience on the platform. Our technology is what sets us apart, and this year we made considerable improvements to enhance the accuracy and value of our data for users based on data association and topic modeling algorithms.

Another recent milestone is that we launched Zendy in Nigeria, allowing users to search both Open Access content and subscribe to top journals on one seamless platform. We’ve already welcomed over 8,000 users in Nigeria, and we look forward to creating more access opportunities in the region. 

As we bring 2022 to a close, we thank all of you who support us in big and small ways. Looking forward to more conversations and collaboration in 2023. 

Best wishes for a happy new year from the entire Zendy team!

Kamran Robert Kardan

In this collaborative webinar, Zendy and OAPEN teamed up at the start of Open Access week to discuss and debate the discoverability of open climate research in MENA. 

The panel featured Knowledge E CEO & Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan, Zendy Partnership Relations Manager Sara Crowley Vigneau, Community Manager at DOAB & OAPEN Tom Mosterd, and authors Declan Conway and Marvin Brown.  Open Access is vital in giving communities worldwide an opportunity to produce and disseminate knowledge about the climate crisis we are facing. Openness can create pathways to more equitable knowledge sharing and serve as a means to address the inequities that shape the impacts of climate change and our response to them.

Global accessibility to scientific content

Zendy Co-founder Kamran Kardan commenced panel discussions by describing the key challenge for individuals who want to access top scientific literature. In today’s publishing environment, individuals either need to be a member of an institution that has a subscription to these resources from the various publishers or part of an organization that may be part of a large consortium that may include access to certain databases. 

This landscape has created significant inequality in access models for scientific information. Zendy’s mission to democratize access to scientific literature aims to make academic literature more affordable and accessible for individuals to learn and discover.

The pay-per-article model is not sustainable for independent learners. With single research papers ranging from $10 to $40 per download, vast global inequities have emerged in knowledge economies. Zendy’s hybrid subscription model, which provides individuals unlimited access for the monthly price of a single research paper, aims to help bridge the gap between access and affordability. 

As Kamran discussed, challenges also exist in the Open Access framework. In a completely Open Access world, pockets of OA content exist across various platforms. This can make the research journey for individuals arduous. Zendy Open is a solution to accumulate this content for the user and present it on one easy-to-navigate platform. 

In reference to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Kamran expressed that the key requirement for progress in climate action is through the power of knowledge. 

See the entire discussion here: https://youtu.be/bVd28nSNhwA?t=196

Importance of useability and collaboration

Zendy Open is designed to make the accessibility of Open Access content easy for individuals from all walks of life. As Zendy Partnership Relations Manager, Partnership Relations Manager Sara Crowley Vigneau discussed, together with usability, partnerships play a central role in providing inclusive access.

Zendy aims to partner with a diverse group of top publishers to ensure individuals have wide-ranging access to over 45 million Open Access publications, available in over 68 languages. Sara discussed the correlation between the impact of the Open Access movement and SDG 4: equal access to education. The principles of Open Access also empower SDG goal 10 (fighting inequalities worldwide) and SDG goal 13 (climate action). 

Climate research touches all aspects of our lives, from education to health, our notion of home to the societies we participate, and, importantly, our children’s future. The more industry participants collaborate to provide more visibility and ease of access to climate research, the better-informed individuals, thus creating more opportunities for participation in climate action. 

Zendy’s collaboration with OAPEN means thousands of e-books, including hundreds of Open Access titles, are now available free on Zendy. 

See the entire discussion here: https://youtu.be/bVd28nSNhwA?t=196

The role of books in the transition to Open Access

OAPEN promotes and supports the transition to open access for academic books by providing open infrastructure services to stakeholders in scholarly communication.

The OAPEN Foundation offers 3 services: the OAPEN Library, which hosts, distributes, and preserves over 25,000 peer-reviewed OA books, a global indexing service called DOAB, and an OA Books toolkit to help authors learn how to publish via OA channels. 

As OAPEN & DOAB Community Manager Tom Mosterd discussed, books play an important role in the Open Access arena, especially in the subjects of humanities, social sciences, and, of course, climate justice.  The OAPEN library features books from large publishers, as well as independent publishers from University Press’ from all around the world. The webinar showcased two authors who have for many years participated in the Open Access publishing process. They both provided insights about their books, which are now available on Zendy, and they shared their journey of why they publish Open Access.

Declan Conway: Climate Risk in Africa – Adaptation and Resilience

This OA book highlights the complexities around making adaptation decisions and building resilience in the face of climate risk. It is based on experiences in sub-Saharan Africa through the Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) applied research programme.

The insights inform new ways to promote action in policy and praxis by blending knowledge from multiple disciplines, including climate science, that provides an understanding of future climate risk and the social science of response through adaptation.

Read the book on Zendy now: https://bit.ly/3DqcIAZ

Marvin Brown: A Climate of Justice: An Ethical Foundation for Environmentalism

This OA book helps readers combine history, politics, and ethics to address the most pressing problem facing the world today: environmental survival. In A Climate of Justice, Marvin Brown connects the environmental crisis to basic questions of economic, social, and racial justice. 

Brown shows how our current social climate maintains systemic injustices, and he uncovers resources for change through civic ethics of repair and reciprocity. A must-read for researchers and educators in the area of environmental ethics and those teaching courses in the fields of public policy and environmental sustainability.

Read the book on Zendy now: https://bit.ly/3h72DkE

In this webinar, Zendy Co-Founder Kamran Kardan joined an expert panel to discuss current issues and solutions for researchers regarding accessing content and paying for OA publications. 

The panel was hosted by Open Access publishing expert Romy Beard, with other guests including researcher and ecosystems ecologist Dr Varun Varma and Plos Strategic Partnerships Director Sara Rouhi. 

Challenges of Open Access

Open publishing is becoming increasingly popular. However, researchers are still experiencing many challenges when they want to access paywalled content such as previous research and archived material. 

Similarly, Open Access (OA) publishing can be an unaffordable route for unfunded researchers or researchers whose institutions haven’t signed up for any OA agreements, such as NGOs or organisations leveraging research. 

Bringing together a range of perspectives, the panel discussed a vast array of topics, including OA agreements, discounts, waivers, technical and cultural barriers, the role and value of publishers that end-users often don’t see, and the solutions that companies like Zendy are proposing to support affordability and accessibility. 

A Researcher’s Perspective

Dr Varun Varma commenced panel discussions by recounting his personal experience as a researcher and the many barriers he has faced in accessing content and publishing his research. After studying in the UK and then moving to a developing country to commence a PhD, Dr Varma felt what he described as his ‘first shock’ of access when suddenly, his access to journals was ‘extremely limited’ simply because he was now located in a different region. 

Regional-based access limitations are one of the core pillars of inequality that many industry commentators address in conversations about reform. With the signing of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) publishers’ contract launched in 2020 at the Frankfurt Book Fair, inclusivity and equality within the academic publishing sector are under the spotlight. 

The flow-on effect of access limitation in developing regions is far-reaching as it significantly increases the time involved in screening literature. What should take weeks then takes months, and as Dr Varma indicated, the tedious nature of the process leaves researchers with missing references, sometimes making the paper incomplete. 

The Publishing Spectrum

The narrative for academic publishing is shifting rapidly, with many moving elements working in parallel to ultimately address the pain points of the end-user. 

Institutions, publishers, organisations, researchers, librarians, and end-users are all key drivers forcing immense movement and excitement across the entire spectrum of academic publishing and content consumption. 

Paid content sits at the crux of the spectrum. The major challenges of availability and affordability associated with paid content motivate other players, such as Open Access and illegal content platforms. 

While the Open Access movement generates rapid support and participation, its scattered nature makes the content difficult to discover. Each publisher has an element of Open Access, while some are completely open access. This is great news for end-users who need access to new content, but older content is few and far between, making the research process arduous. 

The third participant in the publishing spectrum is illegal content publishing platforms. Praised by many for eliminating barriers to access, unlicensed publishing platforms pose a great risk to the future of research. It all comes down to the role of analytics, and the immense need for the data publishers’ produce based on usage.

The Economy of Academic Publishing 

What is the role of a publisher? This is a question asked time and time again. As journal subscription costs increase and the cost of article processing charges (APCs) weigh heavy on researchers, many people wonder where that money goes. And importantly, how does society benefit?

As PLOS Strategic Partnerships Director, Sara Rouhi and Zendy Co-Founder Kamran Kardan explain, publishers completely absorb the exponential costs of technical infrastructure, analytics, and marketing. Here’s why these processes matter: 

Sara Rouhi, of PLOS, discussed some of the key-value points of publishers and the incredible costs associated in detail throughout the ChronosHub webinar while highlighting PLOS’ approach to making the business of OA equitable. She also detailed, the future of Open Access business models must diversify to survive and account for regional affordability, cost-recovery, reducing author friction, and engaging Read institutions. 

Despite this value, it is evident that the paid publishing model is not sustainable, as it hinders the frameworks of inclusivity and equality. As publishers work on their models of diversification, there are many fast movers in the industry offering alternative methods for publishing and access. 

The Zendy Movement: Accessibility & Affordability 

With so many moving elements within the Open Access and academic publishing domains, Zendy has a clear mission and purpose of addressing the tribulations of all key stakeholders in the conversation. 

Since 2019, Zendy has spearheaded a movement to change the dialogue of academic content access, especially in emerging regions where quality content and affordable avenues of access are few and far between.  

As a firm believer in empowering communities through knowledge, Zendy CEO Kamran Kardan saw a new way to connect end-users with quality content from top publishers. Instead of hitting paywalls for every piece of content, Zendy Plus was developed as a subscription-based service to reduce end-user costs without compromising access. Zendy users can access unlimited content for the monthly price of a single research paper. 

Currently available with a free 7-day trial in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, Zendy Plus is constantly updated with new research material. 

Addressing the global need for access, Zendy offers Zendy Open, a comprehensive open-access library available for free in all regions. 

While a relatively new concept, this hybrid user-centric model for affordable access is gaining traction. 

For more information about the ChronosHub Webinar, Open Access, Publishing, or Zendy, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us: hello@zendy.io. 

Date: 24th November 2021
Time: 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Place: Dubai Cares Pavilion – RewirED Talks

In the age of information, many individuals and professionals are still unable to access high-quality research especially if they are not affiliated with a university or an academic institution. Traditional subscriptions are very costly, and many might not be able to afford them. Other factors like language barriers might also place some people at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing and reading research.

Through this talk, and in partnership with Dubai Cares, we hope to inform, educate, and raise awareness about the benefits of opening research and knowledge to make it more inclusive and offer access to a wider audience. Our experts will discuss how limited access to high-quality research can contribute to social and educational inequality, and how innovative and affordable solutions can bridge the gap by making research more accessible.

Our Experts:

• Kamran Kardan – CEO and Founder of Knowledge E
• Samantha Miles – Head of Training and Consulting at Knowledge E

The discussion will address how non-academic professionals can gain access to research, current subscription models and cost, publisher collections, and current societal challenges like the spread of false information and the need for informed action. The talk will also touch on the many benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration, inclusive research, and the features of impactful modern libraries.

Education specialists, researchers, librarians, and related professions will especially find this discussion enriching. Attendance is open to the public.

Free Expo passes are available to delegates wishing to attend this event, reach out to us at info@knowledgee.com before November 21^st to claim your free pass.