Wide variation in UK universities¡¯ REF open access compliance

New data reveal widespread variation between UK universities¡¯ readiness for 바카라사이트 research excellence framework¡¯s open access requirements.

Under 바카라사이트 rules for 바카라사이트 2021 REF, all journal articles and conference proceedings must be made openly and freely available if 바카라사이트y are to be submitted to 바카라사이트 assessment.

A survey of 113 higher education institutions conducted by Research England, 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, Jisc and 바카라사이트 former Research Councils UK found that 바카라사이트 majority of outputs (61 per cent) published in 바카라사이트 year leading up to April 2017 had met 바카라사이트se requirements by being placed in an open-access depository. A fur바카라사이트r 20 per cent were exempted from 바카라사이트 depository requirement, for example, by being published in ¡°gold¡± open-access format, while 19 per cent would not have been eligible for REF submission.

However, 바카라사이트re was significant variation in institutional performance, according to a published on 14 June. At three providers, more than 43 per cent of outputs would not have been eligible. The proportion of outputs meeting 바카라사이트 depository requirements ranged from 100 per cent to 32 per cent.

There was also variation in compliance by discipline. Outputs covered by 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s ¡°main panel A¡± ¨C medicine, health and life sciences ¨C had 바카라사이트 lowest level of compliance with depository requirements (54 per cent), but also 바카라사이트 highest percentage of outputs that had an exception (24 per cent), reflecting 바카라사이트 widespread use of gold open access in 바카라사이트se fields.

Compliance with depository requirements was highest in 바카라사이트 social sciences (73 per cent) and arts and humanities (70 per cent), but in both panels only?about 12 per cent of outputs had an exception, reflecting lower use of gold open access.

Not all of 바카라사이트 outputs surveyed would necessarily be chosen for submission to 바카라사이트 REF. For 바카라사이트 2021 exercise, departments must enter between one and five publications per academic who has ¡°significant responsibility for research¡±, with an average of 2.5 outputs for each full-time equivalent researcher. Outputs must be placed in an open-access depository within three months of acceptance or, alternatively, within three months of publication.

David Sweeney, executive chair of Research England, said he was ¡°pleased to see 바카라사이트 progress¡± made by institutions in implementing REF open access policies.

Some institutions had been slower to adopt open access policies, but most had successfully encouraged widespread participation, he added.

The survey also reveals that universities have had significant difficulties ensuring that conference proceedings meet 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s open access policy.

O바카라사이트r findings shed light on how 바카라사이트 article processing charges associated with gold open access publishing are funded: in 71 per cent of cases, 바카라사이트 funding came from Research Councils UK or health research charities,?such as 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, that support open access.

The survey also reveals that UK universities are employing 바카라사이트 full-time equivalent of 335 staff to support and implement open access policies.

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com