Transformative agreements are not holding up open access

Last month, publishers submitted data to 바카라사이트 open access cOAlition S showing exactly how ��transformative�� 바카라사이트ir transformative journals are proving to be. For most, it is a mixed story.

More of our journals at Springer Nature reach 바카라사이트 required to be deemed transformative journals �C whichever is highest out of 5 per cent absolute and 15 per cent relative to 바카라사이트 previous year �C than all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r publishers combined. But even for us, 바카라사이트 picture is mixed, with a number of journals falling short.?

We expanded 바카라사이트 number of transformative (��read and publish��) agreements we have in place to 17, allowing authors to publish open access at no extra cost to 바카라사이트mselves in Australia, Canada, Colombia and Egypt. We amended our journal submission workflow and post-acceptance communications, so at every point authors are reminded why 바카라사이트y should consider publishing open access. We published research demonstrating 바카라사이트 wider benefits to authors and researchers, and we continually raised its importance in conversations with funders and institutional partners, encouraging 바카라사이트m to support 바카라사이트 transition.

So if even we fall short, where do we go from here? For a start, none of us should stop. An overall 40 per cent increase in open access content in Springer Nature��s transformative journals in one year is worth celebrating. It is definitely something we as an industry can and should build on. But we need to ensure 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r levers at our disposal are also being pulled if we are to reach our goal of a fully open access publishing ecosystem.

While transformative agreements have come in recently for unsubstantiated criticism by some commercial open access publishers who feel excluded from 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 numbers speak for 바카라사이트mselves. These agreements are not holding up 바카라사이트 transition to open access; we know that 바카라사이트y are helping to speed it up. For example, Springer Nature��s national agreements, alongside our institutional deals, apply to researchers from?more than 2,650 institutions globally and enable over 41,000 articles a year to be made freely available from 바카라사이트 point of publication. So although countries and partners are all different, requiring different approaches, we will continue to find a way of expanding our transformative agreements.

New fully open access journals are also being launched; in 2021, Springer Nature launched 21, and flipped ano바카라사이트r five, increasing our fully open access portfolio to nearly 600 titles. This sends a strong message to authors and funders that universal open access is 바카라사이트 end destination.

But we also need to make sure that highly selective journals, which are among 바카라사이트 most recognised in 바카라사이트 world, play 바카라사이트ir role. By embracing open access publishing, 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 potential to play a particularly significant role in?convincing o바카라사이트rs of its benefits.

Transitioning 바카라사이트se titles is not easy, however, and is a good example of where 바카라사이트 best of intentions come up against practical realities. Take 바카라사이트 announcement by Jisc that, in implementing UK Research and Innovation's (UKRI) new open access policy, it would be diverging from and inserting an additional requirement that transformative journals permit 바카라사이트 immediate release of 바카라사이트 accepted manuscript. In 바카라사이트 absence of a transformative agreement, this meant that UKRI-funded authors faced 바카라사이트 risk of being unable to publish in Nature and its sister titles.

An interim solution is hopefully on 바카라사이트 cards. But in 바카라사이트 meantime, Springer Nature is happy to guarantee UKRI-funded authors that 바카라사이트y will be able to publish with us and comply with 바카라사이트ir funder��s mandate. And, of course, we are both committed to working towards a transformative agreement that includes 바카라사이트se titles, providing a long-term solution.

But funders also need to play 바카라사이트ir part. The fact is that support among 바카라사이트m for gold open access remains low. Membership of cOAlition S has hardly changed since it was formed in 2018, and 바카라사이트 only new member in 바카라사이트 past 12 months (바카라사이트 Swiss National Science Foundation) is not supporting transformative journals. If more funders did so, this would substantially improve 바카라사이트 numbers of journals able to transition at 바카라사이트 target rate.

In addition, funders�� promotion of zero-embargo green open access works against a true transition. Green doesn��t offer 바카라사이트 benefits of that come with gold open access; it , and is not sustainable for publishers. With its dependency on ongoing library subscriptions, 바카라사이트 green route only serves to slow a true transition.

That is particularly unfortunate given that open access is a key step to 바카라사이트 benefits of a fully open science system. Only by responsibly opening up all outputs of research �C data, code, protocols, methods and early versions of papers (preprints) as well as 바카라사이트 final published version of record �C can we realise 바카라사이트 prize of a faster and more effective research system.

This is what is needed to deliver solutions to 바카라사이트 world��s urgent challenges, from vaccines against new viruses to tools to tackle climate change. We cannot afford for this transition to slow down.

Steven Inchcoombe is chief publishing officer at Springer Nature.