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Short abstract:

This study explores the implications of OA for scientific collaboration and interdisciplinarity in Latin American research published in Scopus. Using data from 2017 to 2022, it uncovers trends and stakeholder roles, informing future policies to promote OA and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Long abstract:

The open access (OA) movement is one of the great transformations of contemporary science, offering both unmatched challenges and opportunities for developing regions of the world (Frank et al, 2023). In Latin America, some of the changes include the reform of national and institutional policies, and, more ubiquitously and despite the high costs associated with Article Processing Charges (APCs), the growth of OA publications. Minniti et al (2018) found that between 2005 and 2017, 1 in 5 Latin American and the Caribbean publications were published in OA, and there is an upward trend. However, as is the case with other regions of the Global South, the implications of this transition on scientific collaboration and interdisciplinarity have not been thoroughly explored, especially after the Covid 19 pandemic.

Using data from Scopus, this bibliometric analysis identifies patterns of collaboration and interdisciplinary research within Latin American OA research during the years 2017-2022. By examining publication, citation and co-authorship trends, we aim to answer: What are the collaboration patterns within Latin American OA research? What are the most studied research areas? And what role do stakeholders, such as universities, journals, research institutions, and funding agencies, play in the rise of OA publications in the continent? As such, this article provides insights into how OA practices reflect significant changes in Latin American and global scientific collaboration patterns. Additionally, by identifying the roles of various stakeholders, it may inform future policies aimed at fostering OA and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration in Latin America and beyond.