Act on copyright, universities told

Australian paper says publishers’ control over dissemination is holding back research impact

A “mess” of rules around ownership of copyright may be holding back research impact in Australia, a group of legal researchers has said.

In a paper published in the Federal Law Review, the researchers—led by Kathy Bowrey of the University of New South Wales—wrote that “researchers are generally left on their own to muddle through and negotiate with…the publishers on whom they depend for the publications that will secure and enhance their career”.