-----Original Message-----
From: Rectorate, University of Patras [mailto:rectorate@upatras.gr]
Sent: Friday 27 October 2006 13:34
To: Robert Aymar
Cc: Konstantin Zioutas
Subject: Open access support - University of Patras

Dr. Robert Aymar
Director - General
CERN
CH-1211 GENEVA 23
Switzerland

Dear Dr. Aymar,

At the University of Patras we are closely following the new trends in
dissemination of scientific results and we have a strong belief in that if
the ideas of the open access movement will be generally adopted by the
community, it will imply better access to science both for researchers and
the society at large. The Rectorate of the University would therefore like
to take the opportunity to express its support (with a symbolic financial
support of 5000 CHF) for the personal initiative you have demonstrated by
creating a task force to study the situation for particle physics.
The report, which we have read with great interest, has
certainly the potential to be used as basis for changing the publishing
scenery of particle physics, and the model should also be applicable to
most other branches of science. It could also revolutionize the conventional
students education scheme, provided students and professors have full access
to the internet. Changing the publishing model is an
ambitious goal, however, with CERN in a leading position all conditions for
succeeding doing so should be present.

Hopefully the change in the publishing paradigm will lead up to
further changes as well. So far the electronic journals have just
reproduced the traditional paper journals in an electronic manner.
Electronic publishing has though a potential much beyond this. Digital
technologies provide the possibilities for exchanging and sharing
information and knowledge and, on the other hand, massive quantities of
information need to be managed to be really of use. Professor Zioutas of
our university and spokesman of the CAST experiment has already started
to explore such options through, among others, planning to make the data
of the axion experiment freely available (CERN Courier 43(4)
<http://www.cerncourier.com/main/article/43/4/17>).
As you certainly are aware,  such issues will also be addressed in the
upcoming EU-FP7 within the program for European Research Infrastructure.

The University of Patras wish you lots of success in this highly society
relevant work and we remain at your disposal for future collaboration in
reforming the model for dissemination of science.
 
We congratulate CERN for its support of OA. This gives us some hope to stop
the ongoing collapse of our libraries, due to the steady cost increase of
the publishing companies.

Sincerely yours,

Vassilios Anastassopoulos
Vice-rector of Strategic Research
Planning and Development

(The original letter will be forwarded to you by ordinary post)