D3.5 Assessment of Implementation Priorities for International Alignment

An important activity for COAR is to align repository networks in order to create a seamless global repository network and demonstrate that repositories offer a viable solution for open access. The activities target three levels of engagement: (1) strategic, (2) technical and semantic interoperability, and (3) services.

In May 2017, eight regional/national initiatives signed an International Accord for Repository Networks (Australasia, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Latin America, South Africa, and United States). The aim of the accord is to increase collaboration across regional repository networks in order to strengthen and enhance the distributed, community-based open access infrastructure around the world. A distributed system will ensure responsiveness to local needs and contexts and also reduces the risk of commercial buy out. However, in order to support the development of value added services on top of repositories, we need to ensure the widespread, international adoption of common functionalities, open APIs, and standard approaches to vocabularies and metadata.

Based on the principles and agreements outlined in the International Accord, the signatories have agreed to the following four next steps:

1. Common global vision for repositories

2. Implementation of next generation repositories (NGR)

3. Adoption and improvement of networked services and technologies

4. Standard vocabularies and metadata

This document provides an assessment of progress to date in each of these four areas.