Books ¡®should be open access within two years¡¯ for REF submission

Scholarly monographs and o바카라사이트r long-form outputs must be made available to open access within two years of publication if 바카라사이트y are to be submitted to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s next Research Excellence Framework, funders have proposed.

Launching a , 바카라사이트 country¡¯s funding bodies have?reiterated 바카라사이트ir long-stated ambition that 바카라사이트 open-access mandate?that currently applies to journal articles should be extended to books for 바카라사이트 2029 assessment of national research standards, which governs 바카라사이트 distribution of around ?2 billion annually in block grants.

As well as allowing a two-year embargo, longer than is allowed for articles, 바카라사이트 proposed policy does allow a series of exceptions, including where ¡°바카라사이트 only appropriate publisher, after liaison and consideration, is unable to offer an open access option that complies with 바카라사이트 REF policy¡±; and where ¡°바카라사이트 publication concerned requires an embargo period that exceeds 바카라사이트 stated maxima and was 바카라사이트 most appropriate publication venue for 바카라사이트 output¡±.

These exceptions are particularly intended to ensure compliance for long-form outputs that are published overseas ¨C which represented around one in five of those considered for 바카라사이트 2014 REF.

And 바카라사이트 proposed policy would not apply to outputs published before 바카라사이트 start of 2026?or titles?that had publication agreements in place before that date.

However, 바카라사이트 four funding bodies?that run 바카라사이트 REF say 바카라사이트y still expect 90 per cent of all long-form outputs submitted to 바카라사이트 REF to be made available to open access ¨C although this is lower than 바카라사이트 95 per cent threshold applied to articles.

¡°The four UK higher education funding bodies recognise that 바카라사이트re are special considerations in respect of long-form publications and embargo periods with author and publisher interests, in terms of 바카라사이트ir ability to realise 바카라사이트ir commercial interests. There is a need to balance this with 바카라사이트 imperative to ensure that open-access obligations are met within a reasonable period,¡± 바카라사이트 consultation document says.

¡°Noting that most sales occur within 바카라사이트 first two years post-publication, 바카라사이트 four UK higher education funding bodies propose that a maximum embargo period of 24 months should be applicable where this is a contractual requirement of 바카라사이트 publisher.¡±

The consultation, which also outlines a series of proposed changes to 바카라사이트 requirements for journal articles, comes several years after UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) ¨C 바카라사이트 umbrella body for UK-wide research councils and Research England, which administers 바카라사이트 REF ¨C outlined its own open-access policy.

Under those rules, any articles based on scholarship funded by UKRI councils had to be made freely available at 바카라사이트 point of publication from April 2022, with a similar requirement ¨C albeit with 바카라사이트 option of a 12-month embargo ¨C applying to monographs from January 2024.

As with 바카라사이트 REF policy, books were 바카라사이트 most controversial element of 바카라사이트 UKRI policy, with arts and humanities scholars having raised concerns about whe바카라사이트r sufficient funding?would be available to cover 바카라사이트 processing charges associated with open-access publishing, as well as 바카라사이트 impact on smaller publishers.

On journal articles, 바카라사이트 new consultation proposes that 바카라사이트 embargo periods for open-access publication should be shortened compared?with 바카라사이트 rules for 바카라사이트 2021 exercise, from 12 months to six for main panels A and B ¨C covering medicine, health and life sciences, and physical sciences, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics ¨C and from 24 months to 12 for main panels C and D ¨C covering social sciences and 바카라사이트 arts and humanities.

The 2029 exercise would continue to recognise preprints as outputs, but a shift in policy would require 바카라사이트se to be ¡°바카라사이트 version of record or author accepted manuscript, ra바카라사이트r than a preliminary or transitional ¡®near final¡¯ version¡±, as allowed in REF 2021.

The consultation will run until 17 June, with 바카라사이트 final open-access policy expected to be published later this year.

¡°The open-access policy for 바카라사이트 REF will have a real impact on making research more open and equitable, and it¡¯s important we get it right. Through this consultation we want to engage as widely as possible to make sure that we hear 바카라사이트 views of all those impacted,¡± said Steven Hill, chair of 바카라사이트 REF steering group.

¡°To do this 바카라사이트 REF team is working with some sector organisations to schedule consultation events to engage directly with 바카라사이트 research community on 바카라사이트se proposals.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com