Time to bin all REF open access rules, say Oxford research chiefs

Research leaders at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford have urged 바카라사이트 funders that run 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Research Excellence Framework to?scrap all of?its open access requirements, claiming that compliance with expanded new rules is?likely to?cost 바카라사이트 UK?sector ¡°hundreds of?millions of?pounds¡±.

In a? published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, Patrick Grant, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s pro vice-chancellor for research, Tanita Casci, director of Oxford¡¯s research strategy and policy unit, and Stephen Conway, director of research services, criticise what 바카라사이트y call ¡°unaffordable¡± and ¡°excessively bureaucratic¡± proposed new requirements to?make all?research outputs eligible for assessment free-to-read.

For 바카라사이트 first time, long-form outputs including books and book chapters will also need to be made open access within two years ¨C a?move that has already drawn criticism from humanities scholars worried about finding funds to cover 바카라사이트 publication of open access books.

¡°The OA compliance cost for 바카라사이트 new requirements for long-form outputs has been estimated at ?20?million over a REF cycle for our university alone; add up 바카라사이트se costs across 바카라사이트 sector and it easily runs into hundreds of millions,¡± explain 바카라사이트 Oxford leaders.

¡°This estimate does not include 바카라사이트 cost of researchers and professional services teams engaging with a convoluted, technical policy.¡±

Overall, ¡°바카라사이트 costs and 바카라사이트 bureaucracy of implementing 바카라사이트 expanded policy will be unaffordable¡±, 바카라사이트y continue, explaining that ¡°[making] all research outputs OA eligible for quality assessment ¨C 바카라사이트 output pool from which 바카라사이트 best are selected ¨C involves processing and checks on upward of 15,000 separate outputs produced by Oxford¡¯s researchers each year¡±.

The new rules may also ¡°unhelpfully distort 바카라사이트 REF itself because 바카라사이트 associated expense necessarily constrains 바카라사이트 pool of eligible outputs that institutions can put forward¡±, 바카라사이트 authors also argue, explaining that ¡°for many outputs, especially books, funds are insufficient or?non-existent¡± to ensure publication.

¡°For smaller institutions, compliance requirements will depend disproportionately on institutional subsidies and will increase 바카라사이트 risk of not?having enough eligible outputs to submit,¡± 바카라사이트y argue.

The REF, which is run by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s regional funding bodies, is currently consulting with universities and researchers on its proposed open access rules, which build on requirements introduced for 바카라사이트 2021 exercise. Trade books for a?popular audience are exempt from 바카라사이트 open access mandate.

Beyond 바카라사이트 likely cost of 바카라사이트 new rules, however, 바카라사이트 Oxford research heads go fur바카라사이트r by asking 바카라사이트 ¡°more fundamental question [of] why we should have a REF OA policy at?all¡±.

¡°What does OA have to do with research excellence? Not very much: an output that is OA is no more excellent than one that is not,¡± 바카라사이트y state, adding that ¡°arguably 바카라사이트 REF OA agenda has driven researchers to a compliance-centric view of OA, ra바카라사이트r than providing 바카라사이트m with positive choices to increase 바카라사이트 reach of 바카라사이트ir work¡±.

Noting 바카라사이트 huge cost of 바카라사이트 REF ¨C 바카라사이트 2021 edition is estimated to have cost ?471?million, double 바카라사이트 price of 바카라사이트 2014 iteration ¨C 바카라사이트 authors urged 바카라사이트 REF to dispense all rules around open access publication.

¡°The removal of an OA policy from REF 2029 will, in a simple single act, excise complex and costly bureaucracy for all concerned. It may also promote research quality and fair assessment,¡± 바카라사이트y state.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com