AURA - Agder University Research Archive

What is AURA?

Agder University Research Archive (AURA) is a digital archive of scientific papers, theses and dissertations from the academic staff and students at the University of Agder. Our archive is one among many hundreds of institutional and subject-based archives that have been established around the world. In Norway, all the relevant records are searchable in the national search system NORA. The publications in AURA will eventually also be visible in Google.

Where can I find AURA?

You can access Aura at: http://www.uia.no/aura

Why should I contribute to the archive?

• Your research will be more visible internationally and available to everyone, also for researchers in developing countries
• It provides an overview of the intellectual production at UoA that is otherwise scattered in hundreds of scientific journals
• Linking to AURA is a quick and easy way to present your faculty or department’s research
• Depositing publications in AURA is a supplement to traditional publishing is not a substitute
• In AURA, all publications have a secure long-term storage and a permanent URL that can be used for linking from your CV and other purposes
• Scientific papers that are available in open archives will be cited more frequently
• The Central Research Committee has adopted the following policy for academic staff at UoA:

" Researchers at the University of Agder should, if possible, publish their works through quality controlled scientific publishing channels that accept parallel publishing. These works are to be archived in the University's open archive "

What type of publications are planned for AURA ?

AURA will contain scientific articles, doctoral theses and master’s theses from students and staff at the UoA. Regarding publications from the academic staff the same rules apply as for reporting to the Ministry of Education and Research. Current categories are scientific articles from journals and anthologies and scholarly monographs. The Central Research Committee at the UoA has approved this collection policy for AURA along with other issues related to Open Access.

What problems are linked to publishers' copyright?

Most major publishers now allow the deposit of the articles in full text. There may be various conditions related to self-archiving. The University Library will help you clarify the conditions that apply to your contribution. Most publishers do not allow the use of the publisher's own published PDF. Therefore, it is important that you as the author take care of the latest version of your articles after peer review has been conducted (post-print). When choosing between alternative publishing channels, you should check the journal policy in regard to self-archiving in the Sherpa / Romeo database:

http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/

how do I submit research material?

Contact your faculty librarian or academic librarian, Arthur N. Olsen (arthur.n.olsen@ uia.no)

Will my master’s thesis be available in AURA?

All approved master's theses at the UoA will be made available in AURA, with the exception of theses where the student has reserved against web publishing.

More about Open Access

Open Access is the principle that publicly funded research should be freely accessible online, immediately after the release. It is also increasingly common that those who allocate funds for research establish guidelines that ensure open access to scientific information. This applies among other institutions to The Norwegian Research Council.

Free and open publication of research is important for research and teaching institutions in countries with a less developed economy. It is also important for all scientists who are not related to institutions with solid financing. Free access to scientific information should also be a right for the public, which has funded research through the tax system. Although the research articles are primarily written for other researchers, they also could be of great interest to others.

Open Access journals have been established as an alternative to the commercial sector. These electronic journals are increasingly of high quality and are driven by other principles in terms of financing and access. In this publishing model authors (or their employer) pay a fee for publication, while the content of the journal is accessible to everyone. The best-known journals that are based on this publishing model are published by the organization Public Library of Science (PLoS). Their first journal PLoS Biology has already gained professional recognition, and it is quoted as frequently as Nature and Science.

The philosophy behind the Open Access was formulated in 2002, when the Budapest Open Access Initiative was launched. The declaration was a great success as an alternative strategy for the research literature that was frequently closed behind access barriers because of the high subscription costs.

Establishing open archives like AURA is another important part of the work regarding Open Access.

Open Access policy for UoA

AURA-contract  (115.15 kB)

More information on Open Access.no

Overview of the Norwegian and international Open Access journals

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