Scholcomm & More by Ulrich Herb
Open Science is often discussed in terms of principles: transparency, accessibility, participation and collaboration. The decisive question, however, is how these principles can be translated into research practice—particularly at a time when the conditions under which knowledge is produced, communicated and trusted are changing rapidly. On 18 and 19 March 2027, the fifth Open Science […]
At this year’s BiblioCon, I gave a talk on the growing pressure on open knowledge and the changing conditions under which scientific knowledge is produced, disseminated, accessed, and trusted. For many years, debates around Open Access and Open Science focused primarily on participation, accessibility, and transparency. Openness was often treated as a normative and technical […]
Ulrich Herb & Joachim Schöpfel (2026). The politics of open knowledge: production, certification, and control. Information – Wissenschaft & Praxis, 77(2-3), 132–136. https://doi.org/10.1515/iwp-2026-2002Open Access version available here or on Zendo: https://zenodo.org/records/19576855 Abstract (English): This article is based on a keynote speech given at the OASPA conference in Leuven on 22…
The reflections presented here are based on a talk I delivered on 16 March 2026 at the 89th Annual Conference of the German Physical Society (DPG), at the Spring Meeting of the Matter and Cosmos Section (SMuK). Building on my talk “Diamond Open Access: Misconceptions, Systemic Constraints, Potentials,” this post, titled “Diamond Open Access: A […]
I’m honoured to be giving a talk on Diamond Open Access at the 89th Annual Conference of the German Physical Society (Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft, DPG), specifically at the Spring Meeting of the Matter and Cosmos Section (SMuK). This invitation by the DPG, one of the largest physical societies in the world, is a great privilege, […]
Zertifikatskurs Wissenschaftliches Publizieren und Open Science: Kompetenzen für wissenschaftliches Publizieren und Open Science in der digitalen Forschungswelt Die Universität des Saarlandes bietet eine spezialisierte Online-Weiterbildung mit Zertifikatsabschluss (Universitätszertifikat „Wissenschaftliches Publizieren” mit 10 CP) zum Thema „Wissenschaftliches Publizieren und Open Science“ an.…
This year began by picking up threads from the previous year – themes such as AI in research information systems, open metrics, and the ongoing question of how to balance openness with fairness in research assessment. These early activities set the stage for what became a year of transitions, new projects, and unexpected momentum. One […]
Wie präsent sind Professorinnen und Professoren eigentlich online? Und wie gezielt nutzen sie Plattformen wie LinkedIn oder ResearchGate zur Sichtbarmachung ihrer Forschung? Im Rahmen meines Workshops an der OTH Regensburg am 4. Dezember 2025 haben wir genau das diskutiert. Für die meisten Teilnehmenden stand Vernetzung an oberster Stelle, dicht gefolgt vom Ziel, die eigene Sichtbarkeit […]
I am pleased to announce that my book Scholarly Publishing in Transition is now available Open Access under https://dx.doi.org/10.22028/D291-46556 You can find an overview of the book here:https://pulse49.com/scholarly-publishing-in-transition/ I hope the Open Access edition will make the text more widely useful, and I appreciate every comment, share, or recommendation.
Diamond Open Access (DOA) promises a world without paywalls: no subscriptions, no article fees, free publishing and free reading. At first glance, it looks like the fair and sustainable alternative to Gold and Hybrid OA. But behind the appealing vision lie tough questions. Diamond is vaguely defined, costs are often hidden or underestimated, and journals […]