Contributions of open access to higher education in Europe and vice versa

摘要

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the relationship between openrnaccess and academic institutions, as well as the initiatives that spring from this relationship with arnmainly European geographical focus.rnDesign/methodology/approach - The paper describes the main European initiatives andrncollaborations in the area of open access that have been university-driven so far.rnFindings - The strength of many universities is in leading many national European initiatives, andrncollaborations by universities that aim to provide open access to research output, scientificrnpublications and student theses and dissertations. Individual university efforts are the ones thatrnpioneer in software and application development. International agreements and declarations are alsornsigned by university representatives in order to promote open access and the close bond betweenrnhigher education and open access.rnOriginality/value - The paper describes the latest developments regarding the promotion of openrnaccess in European universities and the collaborations that they form. Smaller countries can benefitrnfrom these examples. E-theses projects are estimated to lead the next pan-European projects related tornopen access.