Policy & advocacy

STM works in partnership across the research ecosystem to advocate for policies which advance trusted research. In dialogue with governments, funders, institutions, researchers, and beyond, we aim to enable and drive openness, innovation and sustainability through the following activities:

Representation & voice

Serving as the collective voice for our members, representing their interests to government bodies, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders. 

Policy development & analysis

Developing policy positions and recommendations that align with the interests of our members. We analyze current and proposed legislation to understand its impact on the industry and provide expert insights.

Advocacy and lobbying

Actively engaging with lawmakers, regulators, and other decision-makers to advocate for policies that support the industry’s growth and sustainability. This can involve direct lobbying, participating in public consultations, and submitting formal comments on proposed regulations.

Stakeholder engagement

Building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, industry partners, and the public. 

Policy updates

Ensuring that members are informed about relevant policy developments, regulatory changes, and other critical issues that could affect their strategies and operations. 

Education and training

Providing educational resources and training to members on compliance with regulations, best practices in advocacy, and understanding the policy landscape.

Research and data analysis

Conducting and commissioning research to support advocacy efforts, providing data and evidence to back policy positions and demonstrate the industry’s value and impact. 

Coalition building

Forming coalitions with other organizations and industries to strengthen advocacy efforts and present a united front on common issues.

ACCESS

EXPLORE STM POLICY & ADVOCACY POSITIONS, STATEMENTS, GUIDELINES & MORE

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Drill deeper

Meet the STM Chapters

STM Chapters connect regional members with STM leadership, support local needs, and ensure strategies reflect cultural and regional contexts.

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Our work protecting author rights and IP

View this collection of resources and positions around intellectual property.

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Our work on AI

STM explores AI’s impact on scholarly communication, providing insights and resources to help members navigate opportunities and challenges in this evolving era.

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Latest policy updates from around the globe

EU Parliament event on research integrity highlights collective responsibility

On 10 June, the European Parliament’s STOA panel (on the future of science and technology) held a session highlighting AI, system-level misaligned incentives, and research culture as key factors behind the rise in research integrity issues. Several speakers encouraged a focus on the reasons motivating misconduct rather than on post-fact enforcement, although the importance of…

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New report on China’s STM Journal Excellence Action Plan

This week, STM is in Beijing for the PubTech Conference and STM APAC Conference, convening publishers, technologists, librarians, and researchers from across the Asia-Pacific region around openness, integrity, and inclusion. Alongside the event, STM consultants Shuai Yan and Mark Robertson, together with STM China Chapter chair Eric Na, have published a detailed report on Phase II…

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EU Commission’s consultation on TDM rights reservation protocols

The European Commission is exploring methods for reserving TDM/AI rights, with a view to making the most mature ones mandatory for AI companies to read and respect under the AI Act’s Code of Practice. A first workshop took place on 2 June, with TDMRep emerging as the protocol with the most support among rightsholders. STM…

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EU and Australia successfully conclude Horizon Europe negotiations

Starting in 2027, Australia will associate to Pillar II of Horizon Europe, covering societal challenges across digital, industry and space; climate, energy and mobility; and food, bioeconomy and agriculture. Under this arrangement, Australian entities will no longer need to self-fund or rely on narrow exceptions, and will instead be treated as ‘eligible entities’ from an…

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