Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia. Vol. 44, No. 1, 2021, January-April, pp. 04-58
Editorial
https://doi.org/10.22209/rt.v44n1a00
Open access and research assessment systems,
¿invisibilizing quality vs. merchandizing quantity?
To speak aboutopen access in Latin America do involve the use of terms such as “open science” and also the analysisof
new possible research assessment systems, opposed to the internationally and globallyused, known as “mainstream”
research assess ment systems [Fernanda Beigel, 1]. A general overview of the path to open access and research assessment
systems is described below, in the context of various documents from UNESCO, CLACSO, CarolinaFoundation, ECLAC, among
others; on the way of transformation and progress towards open science.
                 
                  
been consolidated. From spaces such as UNESCO, ECLAC, ForoLAC 2018 [3] and various statements from Latin American
communities, open science has been proposed as an inclusive science and open to the diversity of knowledge; where open
access to data, software and assessments dominate, with open resources and incentives, backed by strengthened repositories
and infrastructure; and referenced to a non-commercial open access transnational circuit or system [1].
Meanwhile, mainstream research circuit appear in the decade of the 50’sof the twentieth century, when on pair with


created in the same decade, and evolved until our days (SCI, JCR, Scopus, etc.) [1]. Said system has acted as an oligopoly since
then, using the impact factor as a quality criterion, which measures number of citations in a preset period oftime, without


university rankings, which gave riseto competition between universities in all continents [1], putting aside regional identity

science”, totally opposite to what is built from Latin America as a peripheral, non-hierarchical, innate and local science [1].
On the other hand, Latin America gave the opening and the great contribution to the world, on the issue of open
access and the open science. Our region, has privileged policies and procedures of the open access that are collaborative,




                





  
impact factor [1]. It is for this reason that the path from open access to open sciencefaces challenges for its transition in Latin
America, spanning from the risks of commercial open science (with APC and subscriptions), the need ofrelevant indicator
for quality assessment and new incentives in open access, with the aim to stimulate and enhance science disclosure locally,


and accelerated movement was elaborated, regarding research assessment, to include the open science processes in
researchassessmentsystems, as well as its review,aiming to a reform inresponsible academic evaluation policies for integrity

Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia. Vol. 44, No. 1, 2021, January-April, pp. 04-58
Editorial
https://doi.org/10.22209/rt.v44n1a00
need to move away from our globalized metricsdependence, to explore other ways of research assessment, expressed and
signed in various declarations [Laura Rovelli, 2]. One of them, the San Francisco Declaration onResearch Assessment(DORA),


transfer of knowledge as a two-way street. This past year 2020, broughtopen science and its need to the fore, demonstrated
by the rapid progress in research and vaccine development, since exceptionally, the big publishers and repositories have

There the need to advance in complementary metricsand assessment systems, to value open access researchpublished in
our countries [Laura Rovelli, 2].
Finally, the current discussions are focused on that “open science should be a growth factor for our entire region,
            

inclusive perspective, it is essential to apply policies and guidelines that bring us closer to the already established and

production is not generated.

chemical engineering (biomaterials and food), industrial engineering (general and qualitymanagement), civil engineering
(construction materials and concrete technology) and computer science; with authors and co-authors from various


(Ecuador), Universidad Nacional de Educación (Ecuador), Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo (Ecuador), Universidad
            
de Amazonas (Peru), Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru), Universidad de Córdoba (Spain), Universidad de


               

happy and prosperous new year 2021.
Professor Dra. Valentina Millano-González
Editor-in-Chief
Revista Técnica de la
Facultad de Ingeniería



                
       


 
reducir-desigualdades.

