NEWSROOM CATEGORY:
*Policy & Advocacy
Canada releases draft OA policy
On 25 February, the Canadian government announced its draft revised OA policy, with details on how to submit comments online (through 31 March). STM expects to submit comments to the Tri-Agencies that govern research grants and encourages members to do so as well. The draft policy requires: Immediate access to ‘all agency-funded, peer-reviewed research articles published by agency-funded grantees…
US science agencies and grant funding in disarray
The first month of the Trump Administration has been marked by staff cuts, funding freezes and a broad re-evaluation of the US government’s approach to science, science communications and funding. The full impact of these actions is unclear, and most are currently subject to legal challenges. Significant actions include: Multiple firings across the government (with some staff then reinstated) Freezes…
Kratsios likely to be confirmed as OSTP Director
Michael Kratsios, the nominee to head the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), testified at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on 25 February. The hearing was uneventful and indicates that his nomination will likely be confirmed in the coming weeks. AI was, of course, discussed, but issues related to copyright and intellectual…
EU Commission announces plan to boost competitiveness
The von der Leyen II Commission has launched the Competitiveness Compass, emphasising initiatives (both new and existing) that will help the EU become more competitive. The highlights include: A European Research Area (ERA) Act, planned for Q3 2026, which will stimulate investments in research & innovation and facilitate the circulation of researchers and knowledge. A…
DOI for Scholarly Publishing wins Rosenblum Award
Some innovations become so essential, we hardly notice them—yet they power everything we do. The Rosenblum Award for Scholarly Publishing Impact was created to recognize these game-changing advancements—the ideas, technologies, and standards that have reshaped scholarly communication. Not a person. Not a company. But impactful innovations that advance our industry. For its crucial role in…
AI literacy obligations now in effect
The AI Act’s requirements on AI literacy went into effect on 2 February, which means organisations providing or deploying general-use AI systems must now implement adequate literacy measures for their staff. This is one of the few provisions that apply to all providers and deployers of AI systems, regardless of the category of risk. The Act defines AI…
Comments on NSF public access policy still open
The US National Science Foundation is accepting comments through 10 February on their draft Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). As reported in December, the NSF outlined draft grant policies and procedures for 2026, including regulations to implement NSF’s Public Access Policy 2.0. The draft PAPPG includes a new requirement that grantees publish their results, provisions regarding…
NIH draft plan for PIDs and metadata still open for comment
As previously reported, when NIH issued its final public access policy, it also issued a new draft Plan on Metadata and Persistent Identifiers (PIDs), with the goal to ‘enable researchers, clinicians, students and the public to rapidly locate, contextualise and analyse the results of NIH-supported research’. Such plans were requested from each agency as the second…
Bracing for a broad impact from US executive orders and activities
The first days and weeks of the Trump administration brought an onslaught of developments that affect the research community and scholarly endeavours, including executive orders (EOs) on regulations and diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as memos regarding public statements (including publication) by health officials and others. These have the potential to impact researchers, funding opportunities and regulations quite…
The STM ‘Most’ List
Our Most-Read, Most-Watched, and Most Influential Work of 2024 A lot happened last year, and STM’s members continually rose to the moment, working together to address critical issues in research integrity, collaboration, and openness. From tools and reports to videos and resources, we created impactful solutions to advance trusted research. Curious about what resonated most?…