Post by Forum for Open Research in MENA

📢 We're thrilled to announce that the theme for International Open Access Week 2026 has been revealed: "The Cost of Knowledge" (October 19-25) This year's theme invites an important and timely conversation. As the cost of accessing and sharing knowledge continues to ride, it asks us to look deeper, beyond article processing charges and subscriptions, and consider the broader financial, human, and environmental costs behind today's scholarly communication systems. Who benefits from these systems? Who is excluded? And what does it take to build something more equitable? This theme challenges us to rethink how knowledge is created, shared, and sustained, and how we can move toward models that treat knowledge as a public good. We're especially proud that our Co-founder and Director, Emily Choynowski, PhD, and Advisory Board member, Dr. Alwaleed Alkhaja, were part of this year's advisory committee shaping the theme. We're excited to see how this conversation develops and how our communities engage with it in the months ahead. 🔗Read more: https://shorturl.at/vT6RS #OpenAccess #OpenAccessWeek #OAWeek