Sander Dekker and Peoples Access to Public Funded Research

Abstract

Sander Dekker was  an academician, politician,  administrator,  legislator and a great visionary whose contributions for implementing Open Access (OA) in European countries and the world is unique.  Scientists and academicians were thinking  about OA to published research from last decade of twentieth century. But there were no attempts by universities of government to frame legislations or rules. The published research was mainly  controlled  like goods and commodities by multinational publishing companies reaping huge profit who could influence politics and governments. Open Access being a policy going against the interest of powerful business groups political parties or governments hesitated to interfere.  Lack of awareness related to long-term benefits of OA  also contributed to this inertia.  Unless as part of government in his  country Sander Dekker  interfered,  initiated, and implemented plans and programmes related to OA and Open Science and as an young influential member representing his county in European Union popularized the concept among member states it would have taken decades for governments to think seriously about OA to public funded research. Here the authors provide a birds eye view of the contributions of Sander Dekker  who is to be considered the Apostle of OA.