Medical and psychological student associations join open-access coalition

The European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA) and the European Federation of Psychology Students’ Associations (EFPSA) have joined the Right to Research Coalition. These additions bring more than 300,000 individuals into the coalition’s network of students.
 
Founded in 2009, the Right to Research Coalition is an international alliance of 47 undergraduate and graduate student organisations that works to educate the next generation of scholars and researchers about open access and to advocate for policies at the campus, national, and international levels that expand access to the results of research.

‘It is crucial that medical students have access to relevant, high-quality research for the best possible education,’ said Borislav Manev, president of the European Medical Students’ Association. ‘This access is critical to a research-based education that will allow today's students to advance medical research further and take better care of their patients in the future.’

Maris Vainre, editor-in-chief of the EFPSA open-access journal, added, ‘We believe unrestricted access to scientific knowledge is vital to enhance the quality of psychology as a science and our own education in becoming scientists and practitioners.’

Other national and international student organisations to join the Right to Research Coalition over the past year include the European Pharmaceutical Students' Association (EPSA), the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS), the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA), the Lebanese Medical Students' International Committee (LeMSIC), Medsin-UK, and the Medical Students’ Association of Kenya (MSAKE).