Enjoying the 4th Association of European University Presses ([AEUP]: https://www.aeup.eu/) Conference “Sustaining the Flow: Keeping the Pages Turning in Scholarly Publishing”. Hearing some great presentations and having some great conversations!
What do you think? Do university presses have an important role to play to help secure the quality of Diamond OA publishing?
Hi Vanessa! Thanks a lot for your first post, and I have to say, I’m actually quite interested in turning the question back to you! 
Since you were at the AEUP conference, was there any discussion about the role university presses could play in strengthening the Diamond OA ecosystem? Did any concrete examples come up, are they starting to position themselves more clearly in this space? Really curious to hear what you picked up from the conversations there!
What’s with the ping pong?
At the Association of European University Presses Annual Conference, I had some great conversations around quality and Diamond OA. However, doubts always lurk on that topic! Sometimes for good reasons, but most often based on misconceptions. There is still much advocacy to be done.
Many university presses were in the room – of all shapes and sizes from all corners of Europe, some with 40 staff, more with less. Many of these university presses are publishing OA, but not all, and some have been publishing Diamond for years: demonstrating the value and quality of Diamond over time. They are champions of quality publishing and have strong, professional and trusted brands. They can help dispel the myths surrounding quality and be a voice for change to help collectively create a more equitable OA publishing system through Diamond, especially if they join forces on an international level through the AEUP or on national or regional levels. I’m excited by seeing more collaboration between university presses for innovation, standard-setting, and sustainability; long may it continue!