Advancing Open Solutions for equitable access to knowledge
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The Gates Foundation granted nearly USD 4 million to UNESCO to carry forward a new initiative, Open Solutions for Equitable Open Access, running from 2026 to 2030.
UNESCO's Open Solutions programme works to make knowledge, data, software and educational resources open to everyone, with the objective of closing the gap between those who take part in research, and those who are left out.
Doctors, teachers and policymakers could use research to save lives, improve public policy and support new ideas. But in many parts of the world, they still cannot access it, fees and paywalls keeping it out of reach.
This new initiative aims at building awareness, skills and policies for Open Solutions, using Diamond Open Access as the starting point. It is also planned to develop shared tools and standards, connecting Diamond Open Access with Open Data, Free and Open-Source Software, and Open Educational Resources.
Diamond Open Access charges no fees: researchers do not pay to publish, and readers do not pay to read. It is owned and run by people who create it, built on quality and integrity rather than profit. Together with the wider Open Solutions programme, it helps build a more open, connected and equitable knowledge ecosystem.