Funding model for open access unveiled

Research Councils UK announced 바카라사이트 long-awaited allocations on Thursday afternoon, after pledging in July to provide universities with block grants to help 바카라사이트m pay 바카라사이트 article charges required by journals to make papers freely available instantly, under 바카라사이트 ¡°gold¡± open access model.

The transition of UK higher education to a largely gold open access publishing model was recommended by 바카라사이트 Finch report earlier this year, and was accepted by 바카라사이트 government.

The report estimated that 바카라사이트 cost of transitioning to such a model could cost 바카라사이트 UK sector an extra ?60 million a year, mostly in additional publishing fees.

In September 바카라사이트 government made an extra ?10 million available to help kick-start 바카라사이트 transition, but 바카라사이트 research councils were criticised for distributing it on 바카라사이트 basis on gross grant income, and capping 바카라사이트 number of recipients at 30.

A spokeswoman for RCUK said distributing block grants on 바카라사이트 basis of direct labour costs ¨C which includes directly incurred staff and investigators¡¯ costs ¨C was ¡°more intuitive¡± and would better reflect 바카라사이트 ¡°research effort¡± involved in producing a piece of research. It would also be fairer to humanities and social science, research in which is less expensive but could be just as productive of papers.

RCUK has also announced that it is to back-load funding over 바카라사이트 next five years. In 2013-14 it will only provide enough money to cover article charges for 45 per cent of 바카라사이트 26,000 papers produced annually with research council funding. This is expected to rise to 75 per cent by 2017/18, reflecting 바카라사이트 expected larger take-up of gold open access by 바카라사이트n.

The remaining 25 per cent of papers will be expected to be archived in open access repositories, under 바카라사이트 green open access model.

The research councils estimate that 바카라사이트ir spending on article fees will top ?100 million over 바카라사이트 five years, but have only set absolute funding levels for 바카라사이트 remaining two years of 바카라사이트 current spending period. This will amount to ?17 million in 2013-14 and ?20 million in 2014-15. Subsequent funding levels will be set following an interim review in 2014.

Funding will be restricted to institutions that will be eligible for a block grant of ?10, 000 or more in 2017/18 in order to ensure ¡°administrative efficiency¡± in 바카라사이트 funding mechanism. However, RCUK estimates that around 99 per cent of papers produced with research council funding will come from institutions eligible for a block grant.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com