Introduction

Currently, there are no OA journals from the country indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Research activities have been carried out in the Maldives for decades, however it has often been difficult for local research communities to access this research output. Being a country known for its marine ecosystems, the marine sciences are a much pursued field of research by young academicians in the Maldives. In addition to citizens’ livelihoods and traditions being strongly connected to the coast, a large number of tourists and visiting academicians also appreciate and seek research information about the local marine ecosystems and other related topics. In 2014, The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) announced their decision to publish in Open Access journals in order to provide free and full access to their institutional research output on whale sharks, which would accelerate peoples’ understanding of the species and contribute further to ongoing research about whale sharks.

Events and Programs

OA-Related Activities

●      30 November- 04 December 2014: SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Documentation Centre in collaboration with the National Library of Maldives organized a Five Days Workshop on Essential Skills for New Age Information Professionals at Male’, Maldives. Forty Eight participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and the SAARC Secretariat attended the workshop.