Many academic researchers already make use of the opportunities to publish research results in freely accessible open access publication options. However, current survey results from the OASE research project ("Systematic Development of an Open Access Culture at the University – a Development-Oriented Empirical Case Study") show that many existing services, such as the university library's open access website and open access training courses, are not yet well known among researchers at Paderborn University.
The project, in which Prof. Dr. Dorothee M. Meister from the Department of Media Education and Empirical Media Research is cooperating with Dr. Dietmar Haubfleisch as Director of the University Library and Prof. Dr. Gudrun Oevel as CIO of the University and Head of the Centre for Information and Media Technologies (ZIM), is investigating the existing open access culture and identifying further needs with the help of a roadshow at the faculties. OASE is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) until March 2026. Further information can be found in the project description.
Participants and survey results
A total of 239 academics at Paderborn University took part in the survey in spring 2024. On the one hand, the project results show that many academics were already involved with Open Access (OA). On the other hand, the first survey made it clear that there is a greater need for in-depth information on OA publication options, funding and effort, especially at the career stages of doctoral students and postdocs. Around three quarters of professors and postdocs have already gained experience in OA publishing, while half of the doctoral students surveyed have never published in this form. The natural and cultural sciences in particular are very strongly represented in the OA sector, which is partly due to the range of OA publications in these subjects. According to the survey, the most important reason for an OA publication is the conviction of Open Access. However, better discoverability, higher visibility and citation frequency also play a role in the decision to publish OA.
Successful measures to strengthen the OA culture
Following the “design-based research approach”, the OASE project evaluates new research data in parallel with the implementation of the measures developed specifically to strengthen the OA culture at the university. Theory, research and practice are linked in such a way that solutions to existing problems can be developed. In the summer semester 2024, invited OA experts from various faculties gave insights into different OA publication strategies in two Open Access Talks. In addition, the University Library's OA website was given an optimized design so that researchers can now find relevant information on OA publishing more quickly. All event formats will be continued in the coming semester and supported with additional measures.
Looking for further participants
Currently, the project is looking for participants at all career levels (doctoral students, postdocs, professors and academic staff at Paderborn University) for in-depth interviews and group discussions to promote the open access culture. Interested parties are welcome to contact Vivian Hammermüller by e-mail.
