From Barriers to Access: Who Owns Our Knowledge in 2025?

From October 20 to 26, 2025, the global research and publishing community will come together to celebrate International Open Access Week. This annual event highlights the importance of free, equitable, and ethical access to knowledge. The theme for 2025, “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”, encourages reflection on ownership, control, and participation in research and publishing at a time when technology, commercialization, and new systems of knowledge sharing are reshaping the scholarly landscape.

The theme asks us to consider who has access to the knowledge we produce, how that knowledge is created and shared, and whose voices are recognized and valued. Over the past several years, community-driven publishing models such as Diamond Open Access and Subscribe to Open have continued to expand. Editorial boards are reclaiming control over journals, institutions are reevaluating faculty evaluation processes, and researchers are increasingly aware of shared ownership of research outputs.

At the same time, new challenges are emerging. The use of research content to train AI models without author consent, the growing commercialization of academic outputs, and increased surveillance on publishing platforms raise urgent questions about how knowledge is used and who benefits from it. The theme of this year’s Open Access Week invites the global scholarly community to envision knowledge-sharing systems that are community-owned, ethically guided, and inclusive of diverse perspectives.

Upcoming Webinar: “Who Owns Our Knowledge? The Future of Equitable Open Access”

To mark this important week, eContent Pro International Press is proud to join IGI Global Scientific Publishing, the Center for Open Science (COS), the Open Access Publishing Association (OAPA), and the Open Science Education Institute (OSEI) to host a webinar titled “Who Owns Our Knowledge? The Future of Equitable Open Access.” The event will take place on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Microsoft Teams. Registration is free and open to all, although space is limited.

This discussion will explore some of the most pressing questions in open access today. Panelists will address commercialization in publishing, the use of research outputs to train AI without consent, and inequities in access to publishing platforms. They will also discuss strategies for creating open access models that center community ownership, amplify marginalized voices, and balance openness with privacy and consent. Panelists include:

• Mr. Todd Carpenter, Executive Director, National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
• Dr. Nicolaj Petersen, Researcher and Project Manager, UCL University College Denmark

Why This Conversation Matters

eContent Pro International Press was launched in 2025 to advance open access book publishing through a platinum open access model. Every book we publish is freely available to readers, and authors and editors are never charged publishing fees. As the first U.S.-based commercial publisher to operate exclusively under this model, we are deeply committed to discussions about ownership, equity, and community-centered knowledge sharing.

Courtney Mengel, Communications Coordinator at eContent Pro International Press, explained the importance of this webinar: "As a publisher committed to removing barriers in scholarly publishing, this conversation is central to our mission. We have seen first-hand how systemic barriers prevent important research from reaching the people who need it most. This webinar allows us to explore how open access models can center community ownership, protect authors, and ensure knowledge is shared ethically and equitably. It reflects the values that guide everything we do at eContent Pro International Press."

Melissa Wagner, Vice President of Content Strategy and Research Integrity at IGI Global Scientific Publishing, added: "By hosting this timely panel, we will explore the threats to researchers’ ownership of their work and how researchers, institutions, and publishers can work together to build a more sustainable future for open access. We are excited to hear how the industry experts on the panel will address these rising concerns in open access and are looking forward to a lively and engaging conversation."

Join the Discussion

For researchers, editors, librarians, and publishing professionals, the webinar offers an opportunity to engage directly with leaders in the field, learn about ethical and sustainable approaches to open access, and contribute to shaping a system of knowledge sharing that is equitable and community owned.

At eContent Pro International Press, we are proud to collaborate in advancing conversations that put community at the center of open access. We invite you to join us in celebrating International Open Access Week and to register for this important event, where together we will examine the critical question: Who owns our knowledge?

Register now to secure your place in this discussion.

About eContent Pro

Headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA, eContent Pro is a trusted global provider of high-quality professional copy editing and editorial services tailored for academic and professional authors. Since 2015, we have proudly supported thousands of writers, researchers, and editors in enhancing the clarity, accuracy, and impact of their written work. From manuscripts and journal articles to book chapters and beyond, our team of expert editors ensure each document is meticulously refined to meet the highest standards of publication. With a strong commitment to speed, precision, and personalized care, eContent Pro delivers flawless publication-ready content to authors across a variety of disciplines.

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