About
The Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat has launched Open Access Research Infrastructure in the Western Balkans Support Programme to assist development of research infrastructures in the region within the Multi-annual Action Plan for a Regional Economic Area (MAP REA) endorsed at the WB Leader’s Summit in July 2017 in Trieste. A part of MAP REA is focused on removing obstacles to mobility of students, researchers and academics through joint policies, measures and instruments aimed at increasing academic and research mobility and cooperation.
Purpose
The Programme has two specific purposes:
- to guide the preparation of the Open Access policies for 30 selected Research Infrastructures in the Western Balkans, specifically, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia &
- to train management, administrative and research staff to introduce principles of Open Access to 30 selected Research Infrastructures in the Western Balkans.
Future activities
The work will not only contribute to  the development of the Open Science practices in the higher education and  public research organisations in the region, but will lay the foundation for  the establishment of the Network of Open  Research Infrastructures in the Western Balkans, which the RCC is  pioneering in the region. The development of Open Access policies is an  essential part of the well-functioning research infrastructures. 
  The work on developing the Open Access  policies will be done in close cooperation with the management, administrative  and research staff of the selected Research Infrastructures.
Open Access to Research Infrastructure training materials
European Charter for  Access to Research Infrastructures
  Principals and  Guidelines to Open Access RIs
  Open Access Policy  template and notes
  Open Access to  Research Infrastructure Training DAY 1_29.06.20
  Open Access to  Research Infrastructure Training DAY 2_30.06.20
  National Guidelines  For Access By Researchers to Research Infrastructure Hosted by Higher Education  Institutions or Other Research Bodies in Ireland
  National Synchrotron Radiation Centre SOLARIS Open Access Regulation EN 
  SOLARIS PL Terms and Conditions of use 
  Operating Rules of  SRED Open Access Centre of Kaunas University of Technology
  Vilnius University Open Access Operating Rules
Contacts
External experts:
  Dr Jelena Angelis angelis@efiscentre.eu & 
  Dr Lisa Cowey L.Cowey@T3i.co.uk
Contact Points

Sinisa Marcic
Senior Expert on Human Capital Development
rcc@rcc.int
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
 
          