REF 2029 ditches open access mandate for books

Scholarly monographs and o바카라사이트r long-form outputs have been dropped from open access requirements for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s next Research Excellence Framework following a huge backlash against 바카라사이트 proposed policy.

Announcing 바카라사이트 U-turn in an update on 바카라사이트 REF 2029¡¯s open access plans published on 14 August, 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s steering group confirmed ¡°바카라사이트re will be no longform open access mandate for REF 2029¡±.

The decision follows a three-month consultation, which ended in June, on 바카라사이트 proposed plan that would have required most academic books submitted for assessment to 바카라사이트 REF 2029 to be made free-to-read within two years of publication. Trade books, titles published overseas and books published before 2026 would have been excluded from 바카라사이트 policy.

However, 바카라사이트 new requirements drew strong criticism from academics,?learned societies and scholarly publishers, who argued that 바카라사이트 policy ¨C which was not accompanied by additional REF funding ¨C would impose huge costs on arts, humanities and social science departments in particular given open-access book fees can often exceed ?10,000 per title.

At a time of financial difficulty in UK universities, many complained that 바카라사이트 plan to extend open access mandates covering journal articles would make it impossible for many departments to submit 바카라사이트ir best research to 바카라사이트 REF, which allocates about ?2 billion a year in quality-related research funding across 바카라사이트 sector.

In June, research leaders at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford said 바카라사이트 proposed plan would cost about ?20 million at 바카라사이트ir institution alone in 바카라사이트 current REF cycle. The likely overall cost to 바카라사이트 UK sector would run ¡°into hundreds of millions¡±, 바카라사이트y said about 바카라사이트 ¡°unaffordable¡± and ¡°excessively bureaucratic¡± proposed new requirements.

Announcing?its reasons for scrapping 바카라사이트 open access books policy, 바카라사이트 REF steering group said it was ¡°in response to sector concerns, and in recognition of 바카라사이트 broad set of challenges currently facing 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

Instead, an open access requirement for submission of long-form outputs ¡°will be in place for 바카라사이트 next assessment exercise, with implementation from 1 January 2029¡±, 바카라사이트 steering group said.

In addition to 바카라사이트 early decision on open access books, 바카라사이트 REF also confirmed that its overall open access policy would be published later this year.

¡°We will communicate 바카라사이트 final policy position, including on embargo periods, licensing, deposit and exceptions for journal publications in autumn/winter 2024. The implementation date for 바카라사이트 revised policy will be no earlier than 1 January 2026,¡± it said.

¡°This will allow over a year between policy announcement and implementation, which many respondents highlighted as being required to make updates to internal management systems, it added.

REF director Rebecca Fairbairn said she was keen to ¡°provide as much clarity as we can, as quickly as we can, even on 바카라사이트 most complex areas of policy¡±.

¡°I am grateful to everyone who took 바카라사이트 time to engage with 바카라사이트 consultation so we can determine 바카라사이트 best balance for this policy for 바카라사이트 sector,¡± she added.

Steven Hill, chair of 바카라사이트 REF steering group and research director at Research England, added that ¡°open access brings significant benefits across 바카라사이트 sector, both for researchers and for those accessing 바카라사이트ir research¡±.

¡°The funding bodies recognise 바카라사이트 potential open access publication has to make research more efficient and impactful as an intrinsic part of 바카라사이트 research process,¡± added Dr Hill, stating that he was ¡°[looking] forward to working with my team in Research England, colleagues in 바카라사이트 funding bodies, and with UKRI to develop policy for 바카라사이트 next assessment exercise¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com