Knowledge shapes our world, from our histories and who is represented in them to research that can transform breakthroughs into better lives. Sharing knowledge is a human right, and everyone should have the ability to learn from and build upon our common human understanding.
In reality, our knowledge systems exclude many perspectives because legacies of injustice are built into their foundations. Racism, colonialism, and other forms of discrimination limit whose voices are heard, whose interests are prioritized, and whose knowledge counts. Paywalls create exclusion at the points of access and participation. Openness creates pathways to more equitable systems of knowledge sharing that can play an important role in addressing larger, multifaceted inequities.
As the world becomes more connected through technology, how we support teaching, learning, and the discovery of knowledge matters. SPARC advances systems for research and education that are open by default and equitable by design. This work presents a singular opportunity to construct a foundation that is both fundamentally more equitable and better serves science, scholarship, and students.
