News

SPARC Europe gets behind IOI, a new effort to help secure Open infrastructure

31st May 2019News, Open Access, Open Science

Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI), a new global initiative that, like SCOSS, aims to help secure the diverse constellation of services that collectively comprise Open infrastructure, recently launched. SPARC Europe, among many others, has pledged our support and is calling on others in the community to do the same. This initiative is ambitious in its intent to create a framework that will serve to strategically fund an extensive amount of open infrastructure across the globe, also creating a more interconnected network of services that works more closely together.

IOI plans to do this by serving two essential functions: the first being to establish a framework for surveying the global landscape of Open scholarly infrastructure, making assessments based on functionality, usage, health and financial needs. Funding recommendation will be made based on this assessment.

The second function will be to coordinate and direct funding, derived from institutions, agencies and foundations, to services — using the framework as a guide.

“So much of our work in Open depends on us succeeding in securing these services,” said SPARC Europe’ Director, Vanessa Proudman. “We gladly welcome this global collaborative, strategic approach to sustaining open infrastructure and we’re proud to be one of the original group of six supporting it.”

“We look forward to helping explore the feasibility and traction of this ambitious initiative and taking part in shaping it.”

SPARC Europe is calling on our members to consider signing a Statement of Support for IOI. This will opt one in to updates on IOI developments.

Help support Open Infrastructure:

Learn more about Invest in Open Infrastructure
Sign the IOI Statement of Support