Community over Commercialization

The presentation titled "Community Over Commercialization" delivered during AfLIA Open Access Week 2024 emphasizes the importance of prioritizing community-driven approaches over profit-oriented models in scholarly outputs. It highlights the risks of commercial barriers, such as paywalls, that restrict access to research, particularly affecting under-resourced regions. The presentation showcases how DataCite’s platforms, services, and tools promote open access by enhancing discoverability, supporting collaborations, and democratizing knowledge. It encourages African institutions to embrace community-based models to drive innovation, foster local research, and ensure global visibility for African scholarly outputs.