EIFL – in association with the University of Mandalay and the University of Yangon – will organize a series of seminars on open access as a part of the EIFL eLibrary Myanmar project.

A guest speaker – Fred Chan, Research and Data Services Librarian, the University of Hong Kong Libraries – will join the Open Access Working Group of the University of Mandalay for its third meeting on May 26, 2015.

Chan will also travel to Yangon to meet with academic staff and librarians from the University of Yangon, the Yangon University of Economics, Dagon University, West Yangon University and East Yangon University on May 27, 2015. Chan will present a good practice ‘approach’ to open access at the University of Hong Kong and will guide open access developments in Myanmar.

BACKGROUND

In February 2015, EIFL conducted the first seminars on open access in Myanmar in association with the University of Mandalay, the University of Yangon and Yadanabon University as a part of the EIFL eLibrary Myanmar project.

Over 200 participants – Rectors, Pro-Rectors, Heads of Departments, Senior Faculty Members, Librarians and PhD Students – gathered to discuss how open access can help to disseminate research results in the most efficient way, and also to maximise the visibility, usage and impact of universities’ research publications.

As a result of the seminars, an Open Access Working Group was set up at the University of Mandalay to develop an open access repository and draft an open access policy. In addition, University of Yangon faculty and management have also expressed interest and commitment to develop an institutional open access strategy and policy.

More information on how EIFL introduced open access in Myanmar can be found here.