Online higher education platform ScienceGuide continues for now
ScienceGuide’s fears expressed last month, that the online higher education platform would have to stop due to lack of money, has not materialized. Editor-in-chief Frans van Heest and his editors can continue for the time being. ‘There is sufficient perspective at the moment to continue the concept in 2024 and work on expanding the news platform,’ Van Heest said.
In late January, the free platform announced that it would have to cease operations by 17 February 2024 due to lack of funds. A crowdfunding was swiftly launched, asking institutions to take a paid bulk subscription for 4,500 euros a year. Individual organizations or individuals could also subscribe for 85 euros a month. 2,500 subscribers would then suffice to save the online medium. There would then be a paywall where ScienceGuide would only be accessible to subscribers.
Newsletter
Meanwhile, it is 19 February and, for the time being, enough money appears to be coming in for continuation of the platform, allowing ScienceGuide to remain ‘an open news source’ for higher education for the time being, also for non-subscribers. In the short term, however, employees and students of non-subscribing institutions or individuals will have to ‘pay for the weekly newsletter’. This will amount to 85 euros per year. Whether the ScienceGuide website can remain open in the long term depends on the preference of subscribers and the support the platform receives in the future, ScienceGuide editors said in a statement.
UvA
According to the ScienceGuide editors, the student and staff participation councils have played ‘an important role’ in the continuation of ScienceGuide.’As an independent platform, ScienceGuide is crucial for them to properly carry out their work.’ The UvA’s acquisition department has now agreed to take a collective annual subscription of 4,500 euros. Folia will also be able to use this collective subscription. Besides the UvA, the KNAW and the scientific advisory board AWTI, among others, have also taken a collective subscription.
Despite the good news, ScienceGuide ‘can by no means sit back yet’ the editors write. ‘For instance, there are still many institutions that have not heard anything from us. For the future-proofing and further development of ScienceGuide, their contribution is also needed. For instance, we can invest in a better website and greater editorial capacity.’
