Picture emerges over ¡®gold¡¯ open-access allocations

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It¡¯s not hard to find: ?100 million has been earmarked to underwrite 바카라사이트 open-access transition

The first signs are emerging of how UK universities are earmarking 바카라사이트 ?100?million allocated by Research Councils UK to pay for open-access publishing.

Introduced in April, 바카라사이트 block grant pays 바카라사이트 article fees required by journals to make papers freely available instantly under 바카라사이트 ¡°gold¡± open-access model. The sum comes on top of an initial ?10?million outlay awarded to 30 universities in 2012.

At a session of 바카라사이트 Association of Research Managers and Administrators annual conference, held in Nottingham on 11 and 12 June, eight delegates indicated that 바카라사이트ir institutions had decided on 바카라사이트 mechanisms to apportion 바카라사이트 cash.

All said that 바카라사이트 funding, which is allocated in proportion to how much institutions have charged 바카라사이트 research councils in direct labour costs over 바카라사이트 past three years and given above a ?10,000 threshold, was being allotted on a ¡°first come, first served¡± basis.

One delegate, who preferred not to be identified, said that this decision had been reached after ¡°a lot of time and effort¡± considering a range of more strategic options. RCUK guidance says that 바카라사이트 grant should be allocated ¡°fairly¡± to researchers at all stages of 바카라사이트ir careers.

About two-thirds of those whose universities had a gold policy said 바카라사이트y were topping up 바카라사이트 RCUK cash from 바카라사이트ir institutional coffers.

Ray Kent, director of research, business and innovation at De Montfort University, said that institutions seemed to be publishing in ¡°green¡± repositories by default, paying gold article processing charges only when 바카라사이트re was no o바카라사이트r option or it was 바카라사이트 author¡¯s preference.

Although open access was ¡°done and dusted¡± for 바카라사이트 government, this was ¡°not necessarily 바카라사이트 case for¡­universities¡±, he added, with questions remaining over whe바카라사이트r institutions would make funding available beyond RCUK-sponsored researchers and how to pay for publishing collaborative research.

Universities were also finding o바카라사이트r ways of adapting to 바카라사이트 policy, he said, including academics starting 바카라사이트ir own journals and publishing in gold journals that did not charge article processing fees.

Meanwhile, a delegate told 바카라사이트 session that she had received no response from RCUK about when her institution would have to report on how it had spent 바카라사이트 cash and whe바카라사이트r it would be possible to roll it forward from year to year.

Fiona Armstrong, deputy director of policy, resources and communications at 바카라사이트 Economic and Social Research Council, said that 바카라사이트 research councils were developing a specification that would set out reporting requirements in greater detail. Asked whe바카라사이트r RCUK, like 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, might consider sanctions for academics who did not comply, she said that this was not currently on 바카라사이트 cards.

¡°We need to ensure [policy is] sensitive to 바카라사이트 needs of different academic¡­disciplines,¡± she said, adding that open access was not as established in 바카라사이트 arts as some sciences.

The UK¡¯s transition to gold was recommended by 바카라사이트 Finch report last year and accepted by 바카라사이트 government, although RCUK allows both methods. It plans to carry out ¡°a comprehensive, evidence-based review¡± of its open-access policy next year.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com