Open access repositories are increasingly connected through thematic, national, and regional networks, which bring together repositories, enable greater discovery and act as important mechanisms for ensuring adoption of standards and interoperability.

Repository networks differ in their scope, operations and functionalities, and they often have distinct requirements based on their specific user communities. However, in order to support the global nature of research, it is important that the networks have some level of interoperability. Collaboration and dialogue across these networks, therefore, is critical.

COAR works closely with regional and national networks to help strengthen their role and foster greater cooperation across regions.

Regional Initiatives

Asia OA is a special forum hosted by COAR in which members of the Asian open access community can share information, meet each other and build relationships. It has a mailing list and organizes meetings to facilitate greater exchange beyond national boundaries.This community is dedicated to people working in the academic environment based in the Asian region. It celebrates Asian cultural diversity and unique way of doing things.

LA Referencia is a network of open access repositories in Latin Amemrica, and is a key partner for COAR. LA Referencia gives visibility to the scientific production of higher education and research institutions in Latin America, promotes open and free access to the full text, with special emphasis on publicly financed results.

LIBSENSE is a programme led by WACREN (West and Central Africa Research and Education Network) that is building a community of practice for open science and progressing the adoption of open science services and infrastructures in Africa. LIBSENSE brings together the policy makers, research and education networks (RENs) and academic library communities to strengthen open access and open science in the region. COAR has been a partner in the LIBSENSE project since it was launched in 2016 and provides support and expertise to help strengthen the repository infrastructure in Africa.

OpenAIRE is an open Scholarly Communication Infrastructure that creates and operates services for Open Science in Europe. COAR and OpenAIRE – together with LIBER, and SPARC Europe – are working on a strategy aimed at strengthening the European repository network. Through this strategy these organization will work together, and with other relevant organisations, to develop and execute an action plan that will reinforce and enhance repositories in Europe.

The U.S. Repository Network is an initiative of SPARC with support from COAR. The U.S. Repository Network is an inclusive community committed to advancing repositories in the U.S. and brings together repositories to create a more cohesive repository landscape and improve discovery, interoperability and strengthen their support for open access and open science.

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