The UK National Commission for UNESCO has produced a new report entitled, Improving Access to Scientific Information for Developing Countries: UK Learned Societies and Journal Access Programmes.

Based on the findings of a survey of 40 scientific learned societies in the UK, the report assesses learned societies’ participation in journal access programmes for developing countries (providing free or low cost access to scholarly literature) and sets out recommendations to strengthen the provision of scientific information to institutions and readers in need.

This report is one component of the work of the Working Group on Improving Access To Scientific Information, which considers issues surrounding access to scientific information in developing countries. Areas of discussion include access to research output (literature and data) and science communication, including science journalism.