Over the past few years SSRN has undergone a lot of updates. A LOT of updates. Many many updates. You get the idea. (One more. Okay. I’m done.) But Open Access is still a big part of our mission. So, it’s fair to ask when so much is subject to change, why has this remained consistent?

Because it is built into who we are.

Locking up research and other educational tools has the potential to do a lot of damage. Exclusivity loses value when it prevents people from achieving their aspirations, not to mention keeping up-to-date in their own respective fields.

This week is Open Education Week, “a celebration of the global Open Education Movement.” We are proud to have been accepted as an Open resource to help further their mission of improving educational access and effectiveness. We want to be part of the change that makes this possible.

One of the preconceived notions of “Open” is that it is synonymous with “free”. The reality is that it often means “more”. Openness gives people a better chance to achieve what they wish to achieve, or to find what they need to find in order to be successful. “More” is certainly something to strive for when, as is too often the case with education, resources can be nonexistent.

For the week of March 5th-9th 2018 people have a chance to focus on raising awareness for Open Education and really make a difference for anyone who wants to learn. We hope people will take the time to connect and share some of the Open resources. Sometimes, knowing what tools you can take advantage of is the first step. Open isn’t just a buzzword. It is a commitment. We hope that at the end of this week, we can be content in knowing that we helped make a better Year of Open.