Open source and sustainability: the role of university

Abstract

One important goal in sustainability is making technologies available to the maximum possible number of individuals, and especially to those living in less developed areas (Goal 9 of SDG). However, the diffusion of technical knowledge is hindered by a number of factors, among which the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) system plays a primary role. While opinions about the real effect of IPRs in stimulating and disseminating innovation differ, there is a growing number of authors arguing that a different approach may be more effective in promoting global development. The success of the Open Source (OS) model in the field of software has led analysts to speculate whether this paradigm can be extended to other fields. Key to this model are both free access to knowledge and the right to use other people’s results. After reviewing the main features of the OS model, we explore different areas where it can be profitably applied, such as hardware design and production; we then discuss how academical institutions can (and should) help diffusing the OS philosophy and practice. Widespread use of OS software, fostering of research projects aimed to use and develop OS software and hardware, the use of open education tools, and a strong commitment to open access publishing are some of the discussed examples.