International Open Access Week is a global event held annually during the last full week of October to promote open access to scholarly research and knowledge. It’s organized by the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) and celebrated by institutions and researchers worldwide.

Its main goals are to raise awareness about the importance of making research freely available to everyone and to encourage collaboration among scholars, institutions, and communities.

2025 | Who Owns Our Knowledge?

Exploring how communities can reclaim control over the knowledge they produce

October 20 to 26, 2025

This year, the Técnico Library is launching a dynamic series of events and initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the importance of Open Access in scholarly research. This year’s global theme, “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”, serves as a central focus for the Library’s campaign.

Infographics across Campi and Online 

Throughout the week, you will encounter infographics displayed across Técnico’s campi and the Library’s social media platforms. These visuals highlight key aspects of Open Access: its benefits, challenges, origins, and publishing pathways. Designed to be both informative and engaging, the campaign aims to spark curiosity and conversation.

Free of charge Training Sessions for Researchers and Students

To deepen understanding and empower action, the Técnico Library is hosting online training sessions focused on Open Access publishing practices. These webinars will cover topics such as how to publish in Open Access journals, understanding OA policies and navigating institutional repositories.

October 22  |  Institutional policies as a path to Open Access  |  Program [PT]  |  Registration

October 29  |  The Scholar Repository as a Path to Open Access  |  Program [PT]  |  Registration

Literary Contest: “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”

The centerpiece of this year’s celebration is a literary contest that challenges participants to reflect on the theme through essays, poems, or short stories. Open to all members of the Técnico community, the contest invites creative responses to the question: Who owns our knowledge?

Submissions are open from October 20 to November 16, with winners receiving a book of their choice from the publisher IST Presss.

Contest rules [PT]

Submission form

A Call to Engage

International Open Access Week is a celebration and a movement. Técnico Library’s initiatives aim to spark dialogue, inspire action, and reaffirm the institution’s commitment to open, equitable access to knowledge.

Know more about our commitment to Open Access

Previous years

Our initiatives for previous celebrations of International Open Access Week:

2024 | Community over Commercialization – informative short videos

2023 | Community over Commercialization – interviews playlist