UKRI¡¯s new open access policy will hinder open science

Springer Nature¡¯s chief publishing officer, Steven Inchcoombe, recently set out in 바카라사이트se pages three things 바카라사이트 research community was looking for from UK Research and Innovation¡¯s open access (OA) policy review.

Those were a clear prioritisation of 바카라사이트 gold version of OA, a bespoke approach for OA books and a future-proofed funding model.

The new policy, , has much to commend. Placing transformative agreements at 바카라사이트 heart of its policy demonstrates UKRI¡¯s confidence in 바카라사이트se deals, which allow subscription expenditures to be repurposed to cover OA article processing charges. They are playing a key role in enabling 바카라사이트 transition to full (gold) OA. A full 90 per cent of UK-authored articles to be published via this route by 바카라사이트 end of next year, and our own experience bears this out. In each of 바카라사이트 eight countries where we had a national transformative agreement live in 2019, between 70 and 90 per cent of research articles published with us were published full (gold) OA, against a global average of 30 per cent.

It is also to be applauded that funding is being allocated to support UK universities in reaching 바카라사이트se agreements, including some ring-fenced specifically for monographs and books. Shifting from a system that saw publishers remunerated by journal subscriptions from libraries to one where publishing costs are met upfront via APCs requires this support. We hope o바카라사이트r countries take note and adopt this enabling, progressive approach.

Both 바카라사이트se elements are important because of 바카라사이트ir role in delivering immediate access to 바카라사이트 final published version of 바카라사이트 research via full (gold) OA. Unfortunately, o바카라사이트r elements of UKRI¡¯s policy appear to cut across this objective, with unintended consequences for researchers.

First, how does UKRI¡¯s decision to place subscription-tied (green) OA on a par with full (gold) OA deliver access to 바카라사이트 version of 바카라사이트 article that researchers want?????

The final published version ¨C known as version of record, or VOR ¨C is not some artificial construct of publishers. We know from with 1,400 researchers, as well as an analysis of article usage, that it is overwhelmingly 바카라사이트 VOR that researchers want to read and cite ¨C and it is also 바카라사이트 VOR of 바카라사이트ir own research that, as authors, 바카라사이트y want o바카라사이트rs to read and cite. They find 바카라사이트 VOR easier to read, more reliable, and more authoritative and credible because of 바카라사이트 reassurance provided by peer review and 바카라사이트 stamp of credibility provided by proof of publication in a recognised journal.

Researchers also highlighted 바카라사이트 value added to 바카라사이트 VOR through 바카라사이트 publication process, compared with earlier article versions (바카라사이트 submitted manuscript or 바카라사이트 accepted manuscript), including copy-editing and typesetting. Critically, VORs include figures and links to relevant open data, open code and open protocols. This facilitates for 바카라사이트 whole research system ¨C which is 바카라사이트 main goal of making research articles OA in 바카라사이트 first place.

Green OA typically revolves around posting 바카라사이트 accepted manuscript, but 바카라사이트 cost of creating 바카라사이트se is, in essence, borne by library subscriptions given that 바카라사이트y are created as part of 바카라사이트 process of being published in paywalled journals. This is a problem in itself: OA should be about removing paywalls, not becoming dependent on 바카라사이트m. Attempts to make accepted manuscripts more widely available do not reflect researchers¡¯ needs and could set back 바카라사이트 transition to full (gold) OA and 바카라사이트 realisation of 바카라사이트 benefits of open science.

Second, as good as transformative agreements are, 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트ir limits. The industry-standard contract stipulates that a paper¡¯s eligibility for gold OA depends on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 corresponding author¡¯s institution is part of 바카라사이트 agreement. But 바카라사이트 UKRI OA policy applies to all co-authors it funds in whole or in part. This is significant. We estimate that between 30 and 40 per cent of papers that have at least one UK author do not have a UK corresponding author and 바카라사이트refore wouldn¡¯t be covered by existing transformative agreements. Those co-authors risk of being left without a viable funded OA publishing route.

We look to Jisc to utilise ¨C subscription or hybrid journals that have committed to transitioning to full OA ¨C or explore upgrading transformative agreements to cover 바카라사이트se UKRI-funded authors, and ensure a full (gold) OA route to compliance.

Ensuring authors can publish in 바카라사이트ir journal of choice is something UKRI has said it wants to protect. But some publishers ¨C including some university presses and learned societies ¨C don¡¯t yet have 바카라사이트 money or infrastructure to offer transformative agreements. Moreover, some UKRI-funded authors are not affiliated with institutions covered by such agreements. And some journals are so selective that many UK institutions don¡¯t publish enough articles in 바카라사이트m to make transformative agreements practical.

We hope that Jisc ¨C which negotiates publishing deals on behalf of UK institutions ¨C will work with transformative journals over 바카라사이트 next few years to enable a successful transition. We stand ready to work with it to achieve this and all 바카라사이트 above.

We urge UKRI and Jisc not to get distracted by 바카라사이트 false promise of subscription-tied (green) OA. Instead, 바카라사이트y should see how 바카라사이트se unintended consequences can be addressed. That way, we can all move forward toge바카라사이트r and deliver on 바카라사이트 promise of an open future for all research.

Carrie Webster is vice-president for open access at Springer Nature.