The role of institutional repositories in the democratization of knowledge
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62697/rmiie.v5i1.277Keywords:
Institutional repositories, open access, democratization of knowledge, digital preservation, scientific communicationAbstract
Institutional repositories have become established as strategic tools for promoting the democratization of knowledge in higher education. These systems allow for the hosting, organization, preservation, and dissemination of scientific articles, theses, conference papers, and other digital resources, ensuring their long-term availability and increasing the visibility of authors and the institutions that support them. This article examines, through a literature review, the most significant benefits of these platforms, including digital preservation, transparency in research processes, and the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration. It also identifies challenges that persist in their implementation and consolidation, such as technological limitations, lack of interoperability, heterogeneous institutional practices, and cultural barriers related to resistance to open access. The analysis highlights the importance of establishing clear institutional policies that regulate the deposit of materials, as well as promoting information literacy among faculty and researchers to strengthen the effective use of repositories. It also underscores the need to adopt international metadata standards and digital preservation mechanisms that guarantee the integrity and continuity of the content. The study concludes that institutional repositories represent essential infrastructures for building a more inclusive, sustainable academic ecosystem oriented towards the responsible management of knowledge, contributing significantly to the transformation of contemporary scientific communication.
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