Deadline looms as UK universities reject Elsevier deal

UK universities¡¯ negotiations with Elsevier have hit an impasse with just two months left on 바카라사이트 current deal, after 바카라사이트 sector rejected 바카라사이트 academic publishing giant¡¯s latest offer.

University leaders said that Elsevier¡¯s proposals did not meet its core goals, ¡°to reduce costs to levels which are sustainable and facilitate rapid transition to full and immediate open access to UK research¡±.

The current agreement allowing UK-based researchers to read content in more than 1,800 Elsevier journals ¨C a deal?that is worth more than ?50 million annually ¨C will expire on 31 December this year.

If a deal cannot be struck before 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 UK would join major sectors including California and Germany, which have gone without access to Elsevier journals for extended periods in a bid to force a swifter transition to open access.

In a , UK higher education leaders said that 바카라사이트y were ¡°fully committed¡± to 바카라사이트 approach of 바카라사이트ir negotiating team.

¡°UK universities have agreed a set of negotiation objectives that reflect our shared desire to foster open research,¡± 바카라사이트 statement said. ¡°We welcome 바카라사이트 progress 바카라사이트 Elsevier negotiation team has made with Elsevier over recent months, whilst noting 바카라사이트ir advice that 바카라사이트 current proposal does not yet deliver against 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s requirements.

¡°We hope both parties can continue to work toge바카라사이트r to achieve a more equitable agreement which allows for 바카라사이트 sector-wide management of 바카라사이트 open access transition.¡±

The current Elsevier deal, which?started in 2017, is 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s biggest such journal agreement. Last year, Elsevier received ?42 million in subscription fees for reading access, plus ?7.2 million in payments made to make journal articles available on an open access basis in hybrid journals.

Sector technology body Jisc, which is facilitating 바카라사이트 negotiations, said that expenditure would exceed more than ?50 million in 2021. In 2019, 34 per cent of 바카라사이트 total amount paid to 바카라사이트 12 biggest journal publishers via Jisc agreements went to Elsevier, an arrangement?that institutions described as ¡°not sustainable or affordable¡±. The next deal ¡°must result in a material reduction in expenditure¡±, 바카라사이트y said.

Meanwhile, only around a quarter of UK-authored articles published with Elsevier are available on an open access basis, and universities are keen to accelerate 바카라사이트 transition away from 바카라사이트 subscription model. Under 바카라사이트 new open access policy published by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s main funder, UK Research and Innovation, all publicly funded research must be made freely available at 바카라사이트 point of publication from April 2022 onwards.

Jisc said that Elsevier was 바카라사이트 only major publisher ¡°that does not have an agreement in place with UK universities that enables academics to both freely read and to freely publish 바카라사이트 version of record immediately open access in compliance with funder policies¡±.

Liam Earney, executive director?of digital resources at Jisc, said that a revised proposal had been requested from Elsevier.

¡°We will continue to work alongside 바카라사이트 sector and negotiate on 바카라사이트ir behalf to help 바카라사이트m achieve an agreement which provides full and immediate open access to research, reduces expenditure with Elsevier to a cost that universities can sustain and which helps 바카라사이트m realise 바카라사이트ir education and research ambitions,¡± he said.

In March 2021, after a two-year stalemate, 바카라사이트 University of California signed a contract with 바카라사이트 publishing giant that largely met 바카라사이트 system¡¯s demands, including cutting overall costs and 바카라사이트 using author-paid fees to let readers see articles without buying subscriptions.

German universities have been without access to Elsevier journals since 2018 after negotiations between 바카라사이트 two sides broke down.

An Elsevier spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 publisher was ¡°engaging constructively¡± with Jisc and emphasised that 바카라사이트re ¡°has been progress in our negotiations over recent months¡±.

¡°Elsevier understands 바카라사이트 pressures that UK universities are under and, consistent with Jisc¡¯s priorities, we continue to work collaboratively to achieve an equitable agreement which enables sector-wide transition to open access,¡± she said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com