First ever Impact Report from Research4Life

Research4Life has announced the publication of its first ever Impact Report: “Changing the face of global research”, aimed at showing what the organisation has achieved and communicating its hopes for the future.

For more than 20 years Research4Life has been helping individuals in educational, research, and policy institutions in 125 lower income countries to participate fully in the global scientific and research community. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), home to 85% of the world’s population, but just 0.2% of researchers, have been largely excluded from this participation.

The mission at Research4Life is “to build an inclusive, diverse, and equitable scholarly communications environment by delivering free or low-cost online access to academic and professional peer-reviewed content, user-focused training, and relevant resources to researchers in lower income countries. Access to a wide pool of trusted, evidence-based, research information is essential for driving progress in research, education, and policy-making and driving sustainable development.”

Research4Life sparks research output by up to 75%

According to 2024 data from a WIPO study, access to research through Research4Life spikes research output by up to 75% in low- and middle-income countries. The Impact Report also tells the story of how the organisation is transitioning Research4Life from content donation to fostering reciprocal engagement, in order to nurture rich and diverse scholarly exchange.

The organisation said: “Research that addresses global challenges and also meets the needs of local and regional communities is crucial. Our aim is to significantly elevate voices and the presence of researchers from lower-income countries to the forefront of global research dialogue. From our work promoting the visibility and global reach of research from Bhutan, to helping develop solutions for internet accessibility in Liberia, the report features case studies based on interviews with people directly involved in the initiatives described. We identify lessons learned from these collaborations and offer inspiration for others.”

Download the Impact Report: “Changing the face of global research” here.

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