NECOBELAC, a European project to promote the diffusion of scientific information in public health

Abstract

NECOBELAC is a three-year Project started on February 1st 2009 and funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Program. NECOBELAC stands for Network of Collaboration Between Europe, Latin American and Caribbean Countries, and aims at enhancing the production and dissemination of quality scientific information in the field of public health. More precisely it focuses on two main objectives: 1) the promotion of training initiatives intended to improve the scientific writing skills of all professionals working in the health-related areas and 2) the implementation of scholarly communication systems based on the concept of immediate, open and permanent access to research results. The six partners involved in the Project are represented by academic and scientific institutions (from Italy (project coordinator), UK, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Colombia) which have gained sound experience in providing information services and outputs through networked initiatives. In this respect, the Project intends to raise awareness on shared principles of good practice among all stakeholders (authors, editors, publishers, information professionals, funding agencies, institutions, learning societies) of the scientific information chain and to promote a cultural change in the information production and dissemination process. The impact of the Project will be measured also by considering the outputs of the activities undertaken by the Project.