UNESCO hosts meeting of experts 

UNESCO will host a meeting of experts on Open Accesson 22 and 23 November 2011, at its Headquarters in Paris (France), to discuss how to operationalize the UNESCO Open Access strategy approved by the UNESCO Executive Board at its 187th session and further adopted by the 36th session of the General Conference. The invited experts from all over the world will also discuss how to create a network collaborative platform to promote Open Access to scientific information and research.

Themes
The meeting will focus on:

• key global trends in Open Access to scientific information and research;
• operationalizing the UNESCO Open Access strategy, including identifying partners and extrabudgetary funding sources; and
• contributing ideas and new trends for future biennia.

Open Access Forum

The two-day meeting will take the form of a forum, where experts will present their ideas within the framework of the UNESCO Open Access strategy and discuss issues relevant to the promotion and development of Open Access, such as:

• UNESCO Open Access strategy,
• Open Access policies,
• Curriculum for training on Open Access,
• Network and collaboration for the development of Open Access, and
• Open Access repositories and journals.

Action plan 

The recommendations of the expert meeting will be used for developing a plan of action for UNESCO within the overall structure of the Open Access strategy adopted by the General Conference. The meeting will also serve as a platform for initiating dialogue and collaboration for improving access to scientific information in developing countries.