Poorer countries rely on paid-for research software, report says

Researchers in lower-income countries such as Bangladesh, Ghana and Nigeria are missing out on free software that could aid their work.

Those in low-income countries overwhelmingly rely on proprietary research software and there is little awareness of free and open-source alternatives, a report published by the Global Young Academy on 20 March says.

These findings contrast with the landscape in high-income countries where the uptake and awareness of such software is much higher, according to the report. There is seemingly little interaction between open-research software advocates in poor and rich countries, it said.