A description of why Open Access is important for faculty and students

“An old tradition and a new technology have converged to make possible an unprecedented public good.”^[1]

Open Access (OA) is incredibly important for both faculty and students because it allows for the unrestricted sharing of knowledge in a way that preserves its value for everyone. The idea of nonrivalrous knowledge—meaning that knowledge can be shared and used without diminishing or limiting its availability to others—is a fundamental reason why OA is so powerful. Unlike physical goods, such as land, food, or machines, which are rivalrous (sharing them with others often reduces their availability), knowledge is different: when one person uses it, it doesn’t prevent anyone else from also using it.^[2]

For faculty, OA provides an opportunity to freely access the latest research and resources to enhance teaching, learning, and academic development. They are not limited by costly subscription fees to access important scholarly articles, and they can build on existing research without encountering barriers. This access enables more collaboration across disciplines and institutions, promoting the sharing of ideas and fostering innovation in their academic work.

For students, OA removes the barrier of costly paywalled material, allowing them to access essential learning materials freely. They can freely explore a wide range of resources to enhance their understanding of subjects, engage more deeply with the content, and conduct more thorough research.

Open Access turns knowledge into a shared resource that everyone can use and build upon, without fear of diminishing its availability.

Developed by William Perrenod and licensed under CC BY 4.0