ITALIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

 The present paper is built upon the new circulation of information in the scientific research and in the learning environments. Open Access revolution represents a new scenery that opens new possibilities to researchers, scholars, and all users. Starting from this point, the paper debates about the new practices in the construction and dissemination knowledge in the digital era. Internet and new technologies can be used to retrieve research materials, to organize, keep and treat information. These activities create a different way to scientific knowledge and also introduce important changes in the higher education system. In the recent scenario of transition, openness is a fundamental value to preserve the university’s role in the access to educational content.