Dear Mr Edmunds,

I refer to your request for information under the Code on Access to
Information (the Code) dated 3 February 2021 addressed to the University
Grants Committee Secretariat (UGCS).

Please be informed that the UGCS is now processing your request and a
reply will be given to you in due course.  

Thank you for your attention.

University Grants Committee Secretariat

From:        Scott Edmunds <[FOI #562 email]>
To:        FOI requests at University Grants Committee Secretariat
<[University Grants Committee Secretariat request email]>
Date:        03/02/2021 16:06
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Information regarding
open access and open data policies and outputs from fundees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear University Grants Committee Secretariat,

I’ve been looking to update the information I have on UGC policies on
access to their funded research outputs. Specifically if you have
implemented any policies and requirements for fundees to publish in open
access publications. And if there are similar policies in place or coming
soon regarding the deposition and access of research datasets coming from
UGC (RGC) funded projects. To clarify this can I therefore ask the
following questions?

1. Has UGC/RGC implemented any policies on Open Access publications in
recent years? If so can you show me where the policies are or forward the
relevant documentation to me?

2. Is there any tracking and data of what proportion of UGC/RGC funded
publications are Open Access?

3. Has UGC/RGC had any discussions with the Coalition-S group of
international research funders and are there any long term plans to join
their Plan-S for “Making full and immediate Open Access a reality”? See
[1]https://www.coalition-s.org/

4. Has UGC/RGC implemented any policies on deposition and sharing research
data of UGC/RGC funded projects in recent years? Do you collect any
information on these outputs in completion reports? If so can you show me
where the policies are or forward the relevant documentation to me?

5. Does UGC/RGC have any policies regarding the utilization of the journal
impact factor and citation metrics in researcher assessment? Has it had
any discussions or plans to sign the San Francisco Declaration on Research
Assessment in a similar manner to other international funders such as the
Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust? See [2]https://sfdora.org

Yours faithfully,

Scott Edmunds

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #562 email]

Is [University Grants Committee Secretariat request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to University Grants Committee Secretariat? If so, please contact us using
this form:
[3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[4]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.coalition-s.org/
2. https://sfdora.org/
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
4. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

Dear Mr Edmunds,

Your request for information dated 3 February 2021 is receiving attention.
As we require some more time to process the request, we will give you a
substantive reply as soon as practicable.

University Grants Committee Secretariat

From:        UGC Enquiry/UGC/HKSARG
To:        Scott Edmunds <[FOI #562 email]>
Date:        11/02/2021 10:03
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Information regarding
open access and open data policies and outputs from fundees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Edmunds,

I refer to your request for information under the Code on Access to
Information (the Code) dated 3 February 2021 addressed to the University
Grants Committee Secretariat (UGCS).

Please be informed that the UGCS is now processing your request and a
reply will be given to you in due course.  

Thank you for your attention.

University Grants Committee Secretariat

From:        Scott Edmunds <[FOI #562 email]>
To:        FOI requests at University Grants Committee Secretariat
<[University Grants Committee Secretariat request email]>
Date:        03/02/2021 16:06
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Information regarding
open access and open data policies and outputs from fundees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear University Grants Committee Secretariat,

I’ve been looking to update the information I have on UGC policies on
access to their funded research outputs. Specifically if you have
implemented any policies and requirements for fundees to publish in open
access publications. And if there are similar policies in place or coming
soon regarding the deposition and access of research datasets coming from
UGC (RGC) funded projects. To clarify this can I therefore ask the
following questions?

1. Has UGC/RGC implemented any policies on Open Access publications in
recent years? If so can you show me where the policies are or forward the
relevant documentation to me?

2. Is there any tracking and data of what proportion of UGC/RGC funded
publications are Open Access?

3. Has UGC/RGC had any discussions with the Coalition-S group of
international research funders and are there any long term plans to join
their Plan-S for “Making full and immediate Open Access a reality”? See
[1]https://www.coalition-s.org/

4. Has UGC/RGC implemented any policies on deposition and sharing research
data of UGC/RGC funded projects in recent years? Do you collect any
information on these outputs in completion reports? If so can you show me
where the policies are or forward the relevant documentation to me?

5. Does UGC/RGC have any policies regarding the utilization of the journal
impact factor and citation metrics in researcher assessment? Has it had
any discussions or plans to sign the San Francisco Declaration on Research
Assessment in a similar manner to other international funders such as the
Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust? See [2]https://sfdora.org

Yours faithfully,

Scott Edmunds

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #562 email]

Is [University Grants Committee Secretariat request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to University Grants Committee Secretariat? If so, please contact us using
this form:
[3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[4]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.coalition-s.org/
2. https://sfdora.org/
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
4. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

Dear Mr Edmunds,

Thank you for your email.
The University Grants Committee (UGC) and the Research Grants Council
(RGC) are committed to promoting public access to publications and data
generated by our funded researchers over the years.  You may wish to know
that our current open access requirements for funded projects as
stipulated in paragraphs 35 to 38 of the Disbursement, Accounting and
Monitoring Arrangements for Funding Schemes Administered by the RGC (for
UGC-funded universities) (June 2020), are available at
[1]https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/form/....

With a view to further encouraging the UGC-funded universities and our
funded researchers to make their research outputs publicly accessible as
well as better understanding the local open access landscape, the Research
Group, UGC recently endorsed the RGC’s Open Access Plan (the Plan).  The
Plan adopts a phased approach with a host of initiatives for open access
to be implemented in a span of five and a half years, including collection
and analysis of open-access-related information provided by the UGC-funded
universities and our funded researchers.  We will work closely with the
universities on the Plan which will be regularly reviewed to take into
account latest practices and developments in the international research
community and explore collaboration opportunities as appropriate. The Plan
will soon be published on the RGC website for public information.

The RGC is responsible for administrating a number of competitive research
funding schemes for the UGC-funded universities.  The research proposals
under different research funding schemes are assessed rigorously through
external peer reviews by both local and non-local experts  according to
assessment criteria available on the RGC website which do not include
journal impact factor and citation metrics.

Regards,
University Grants Committee Secretariat

From:        UGC Enquiry/UGC/HKSARG
To:        Scott Edmunds <[FOI #562 email]>
Date:        25/02/2021 16:26
Subject:        Re: Freedom of Information request - Information regarding
open access and open data policies and outputs from fundees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Edmunds,

Your request for information dated 3 February 2021 is receiving attention.
As we require some more time to process the request, we will give you a
substantive reply as soon as practicable.

University Grants Committee Secretariat

From:        UGC Enquiry/UGC/HKSARG
To:        Scott Edmunds <[FOI #562 email]>
Date:        11/02/2021 10:03
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Information regarding
open access and open data policies and outputs from fundees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr Edmunds,

I refer to your request for information under the Code on Access to
Information (the Code) dated 3 February 2021 addressed to the University
Grants Committee Secretariat (UGCS).

Please be informed that the UGCS is now processing your request and a
reply will be given to you in due course.  

Thank you for your attention.

University Grants Committee Secretariat

From:        Scott Edmunds <[FOI #562 email]>
To:        FOI requests at University Grants Committee Secretariat
<[University Grants Committee Secretariat request email]>
Date:        03/02/2021 16:06
Subject:        Freedom of Information request - Information regarding
open access and open data policies and outputs from fundees

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear University Grants Committee Secretariat,

I’ve been looking to update the information I have on UGC policies on
access to their funded research outputs. Specifically if you have
implemented any policies and requirements for fundees to publish in open
access publications. And if there are similar policies in place or coming
soon regarding the deposition and access of research datasets coming from
UGC (RGC) funded projects. To clarify this can I therefore ask the
following questions?

1. Has UGC/RGC implemented any policies on Open Access publications in
recent years? If so can you show me where the policies are or forward the
relevant documentation to me?

2. Is there any tracking and data of what proportion of UGC/RGC funded
publications are Open Access?

3. Has UGC/RGC had any discussions with the Coalition-S group of
international research funders and are there any long term plans to join
their Plan-S for “Making full and immediate Open Access a reality”? See
[2]https://www.coalition-s.org/

4. Has UGC/RGC implemented any policies on deposition and sharing research
data of UGC/RGC funded projects in recent years? Do you collect any
information on these outputs in completion reports? If so can you show me
where the policies are or forward the relevant documentation to me?

5. Does UGC/RGC have any policies regarding the utilization of the journal
impact factor and citation metrics in researcher assessment? Has it had
any discussions or plans to sign the San Francisco Declaration on Research
Assessment in a similar manner to other international funders such as the
Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust? See [3]https://sfdora.org

Yours faithfully,

Scott Edmunds

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #562 email]

Is [University Grants Committee Secretariat request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to University Grants Committee Secretariat? If so, please contact us using
this form:
[4]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/form/...
2. https://www.coalition-s.org/
3. https://sfdora.org/
4. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
5. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers