Interviewed by: Bassam Sulaiman

At the beginning of the millennium, with this terrible information explosion and the invasion of the Internet into every home, cafe, and house, a number of strange names and terms appeared that are only associated with inanimate objects from the worlds of computers and outlets, such as "Infomedia" and the world of the Internet. Among these terms is "Open Access." What is open access, what does it mean, and how is it used and exploited to achieve the goal? Dr. Sulaiman bin Salem Al-Shehri, Director of the Saudi Center for Digital Content, explains to us what this term is:

"Open access is the main driver in the continuity and expansion of the cycle of scientific communication between scientists and thinkers and between readers, researchers, and students, passing through publishers, printers, and distributors."

A large number of technical terms have emerged recently. In the beginning, Dr. Sulaiman, what does open access mean?

In its simplest concept, Open Access means providing access to intellectual output (articles, research papers, conference proceedings, university theses, data, etc.) via the web. "Open" or "Free" means free from material restrictions such as fees and subscriptions for the end user, or in simple terms, providing it to the reader, student, or researcher for free, while preserving the intellectual property rights of the intellectual output.

We would like you to give us a brief historical overview of open access to information.

Studies that have dealt with the historical dimension of open access vary in its determination, but it can be said that the practice of open access in terms of providing knowledge through any medium for free to beneficiaries has existed since ancient times. I believe that open access began in practice before its name. For example, in our Islamic civilization, there is what is known as Waqf (Endowment), such as endowing a book, a school, or a library so that this work is available for benefit and public utility without a return to its owner. As for the name (Open Access), we find that the early use began with the beginning of the second millennium 2000 with the Budapest Open Access Initiative in late 2001, followed by many initiatives and calls for open access, including the Riyadh Call for Open Access in 2005.

What is the importance of open access?

• Open access is the primary engine for the continuity and expansion of the scientific communication cycle between scientists and researchers.
• Speed and immediacy in access to information.
• Reducing the costs associated with producing, publishing, and distributing information.
• Knowledge exchange and sharing between scientists and specialists in scientific and intellectual fields.
• Continuity and sustainability of publishing and scientific research.
• Supporting research centers and libraries by reducing information access costs.
• Following rapid developments and the novelty of information provided.
• Many countries have realized the importance of open access and worked to support it through publishing policies.

What are the most important initiatives in the field of open access?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has presented initiatives in this field, including government agencies making their scientific publications available under open access principles. Also, many universities have established digital repositories, such as the digital repository at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Education has launched the Shams platform for Saudi open educational resources.

What are the challenges facing open access?

1. Awareness of the importance of open access among scientists and specialists.
2. Weakness of policies and regulations at the national level.
3. Weakness of material support and funding for publishing and distribution.