The 15th Berlin Open Access Conference: Adapt and Advance

Track A participant information packet PDF

Track B participant information packet PDF

Dear B15 cohort members,

On behalf of the University of California and OA2020 Initiative, we are pleased to share with you the attendee information packet for the 15th Berlin Open Access Conference (B15): Adapt and Advance.

Since 2003, the Berlin Open Access Conference has explored the potentials of our digital environment to transform scholarly communication and “build a future-proof, flexible, open, and high-quality scholarly and scientific publishing system.” Over the years, the persistence of subscription paywalls prompted the creation of a global alliance dedicated to accelerating the transition to open access; the focus of the Berlin Open Access Conference series now centers on viable strategies to replace the existing subscription business model with transparent and sustainable open access models.

The international cohort of the 14th Berlin Open Access Conference (2018) affirmed the importance of transformative agreements in accelerating the open access transition and today we can observe the progress made with transformative agreements in just a few short years. As we progress in our strategies, each step elevates us to a new vantage point revealing a new set of challenges. At this juncture, in 2021, we are therefore convening various stakeholders and decision-makers—including higher education and research administrators; library leaders; academic communities and faculty governance; research funders; and ministries of research, education and innovation—involved in further adapting, improving and advancing transformative open access agreements for the betterment of the research enterprise. As detailed in the agenda that follows, the B15 plenaries will consider transformative open access agreements in the context of heightened budget pressures, equity and scholarly communications, and the growing variety of transformative models being implemented worldwide.

As a B15 attendee, we ask that you use this conference as a springboard for further action, partnership and change. We look forward to seeing you at B15.

Many thanks,

Gerard Meijer, Director and Scientific Member, Fritz Haber Institute, Max Planck Society, Berlin (B15 Track B Conference Chair)
Günter Waibel, Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director, California Digital Library, University of California (B15 Track A Conference Chair)

Schedule at a glance:

To facilitate global participation, the B15 conference will be offered twice (to confirm your track, please refer to your invitation from the B15 coordinators or the participant information packet that was distributed via email in advance of the conference).

The conference program will comprise four plenary sessions and include opportunities for discussion (breakout sessions) to reflect together on the insights presented in plenaries 1-3.

Day 01
-Welcome & opening remarks
-Plenary 1 - Open access and cost reduction: Competing priorities?
-Panel
-Breakout discussions
-Plenary 2 - Equal opportunity to publish open access
-Panel
-Breakout discussions
-Closing Remarks
-Social event

Day 02
-Opening remarks
-Plenary 3 - The range of open access transition models
-Panel
-Breakout discussions
-Poster session
-Plenary Panel 4 - The B15 Journey
-Closing remarks
To view the full schedule, please click here (be sure to sort by your track).

B15 message board: Please share your insights, feedback and questions

In advance of and during B15, we invite you to share your insights, feedback and questions around transformative open access on the B15 message board. Please access the message board here.

Technical issues or questions?

If you have any questions (before or during B15) about the underline event platform, Zoom or Gather Town, please don’t hesitate to contact the underline help desk here.