Open access to research has long been a topic of concern in the academic field. Beginning with open access to articles, and whole journals, the movement has been followed by opening up access to data, including government data.

The UK Government is aiming to be at the forefront of open research when it announces tomorrow its intention to make publicly funded research freely accessible to readers.

David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, states that "giving people the right to roam freely over publicly funded research will usher in a new era of academic discovery and collaboration".

The movement towards open access to research will begin with a report by Dame Janet Finch, which will set out the steps to creating a "world where academic articles are freely and openly available at or around the time of publication." Willetts will also be seeking assistance from Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, who will help create a portal to provide access to research, and encourage collaboration and engagement.

See this article in The Guardian for the full story, or visit this link to read David Willett's speech to the Publishers' Association general meeting.