The Durban University of Technology (DUT) Library, in collaboration with Corporate Affairs, hosted a public lecture on 22 October 2026 to mark International Open Access Week, observed from 19 to 25 October. Under the theme “The Cost of Knowledge”, the lecture examined the financial and structural barriers to scholarly publishing and explored ways to make research, particularly publicly funded research, more accessible and affordable.
The lecture was delivered by Dr Nokuthula Mchunu, Director within the International Grants and Partnerships Division of the National Research Foundation (NRF). Facilitated virtually by Mr Romeo Matumba, Librarian: Marketing and Communication at DUT, the session brought together participants from different institutions to discuss practical approaches to open access and developments in scholarly communication.
Dr Mchunu encouraged researchers to explore publishing options that make their work freely available to wider audiences. She highlighted green open access, which allows researchers to share publications through institutional repositories, and diamond open access, which enables publishing without article processing charges.
She also urged DUT researchers to take advantage of the university’s transformative agreements with publishers through the South African Library and Information Consortium (SANLiC). “I encourage scholars and academics to take advantage of the current transformative agreements that institutions such as DUT have entered into with various publishers through the South African Library & Information Consortium (SANLiC),” she said.
Emphasising the broader significance of open science, Dr Mchunu highlighted the need to address rising knowledge production costs, global competitiveness and inequalities in access to research. “Open science is not just a cost-saving measure, but a necessity for human development,” she added.
She also outlined the NRF’s efforts to promote open data sharing and open access publishing through its funding processes, alongside ongoing work towards a broader open science strategy. Greater support for green and diamond open access, she noted, could reduce financial barriers and widen participation in scholarly publishing.
Contributing to the discussion, Dr Malefetjane Phaladi, Director of Library Services at DUT, highlighted the financial benefits of transformative agreements, noting that they save the university millions of rands annually in article processing charges. He encouraged researchers to familiarise themselves with the available agreements and use eligible publishing opportunities.
In his vote of thanks, Mr Sagren Moodley, Manager: Information Resources Content Management, emphasised the importance of continued dialogue among stakeholders across the research ecosystem.
The lecture highlighted the role of universities, libraries, researchers and funders in advancing equitable access to knowledge. DUT researchers are encouraged to explore available publishing agreements, deposit eligible research outputs in the institutional repository and consider sustainable publishing options.
Through these practices, DUT can strengthen the visibility of its research and help ensure that publicly funded knowledge reaches and benefits society.
Muvhulawa Romeo Matumba
