Lead Academy: The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS)

IAP will promote programmes that expand electronic access to scientific information, especially for scientists working in least developed countries (LDCs). Contacts: PUhlir@nas.edu, jboright@nas.edu

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The primary goal of this programme is to engage IAP and its Members in strengthening their own scientific and technical (S&T) capacity as well as in developing countries and transitional economies by enhancing access to and use of digital knowledge and the related infrastructure. More specifically, it will promote the goal established in IAP's Strategic Plan to enhance the quantity and quality of information on issues of science and society that is being exchanged among member academies, thereby building the policy advisory capacity of individual academies. The programme also will build directly upon the activities and results of the 2004-2007 Initiative on Access to Scientific Information in Developing Countries. The two major areas of focus are:

- access to and use of digital S&T data and information, and access to and use of digital networks and infrastructure for research and education.

The opportunities as well as the challenges involved require sustained attention from IAP and its members, in collaboration with other organizations working in these domains, at international, regional, and national levels.

Recent Reports issued by this IAP-sponsored initiative

Executive Summary of the results of a survey conducted among IAP Members (March 2009)

Full report and feedback from IAP Members (March 2009)

An Inventory of Resources for creating an Open Institutional Repository (OIR) (February 2009)

2008 Activities

Link to activities under this programme in previous years ...