RCUK Proposed Policy on Access to Research Output

The RCUK released a draft new OA policy for public comment. The policy would require libre OA (under CC-BY licenses), expressly permit text mining, and cap the maximum embargo at six months for the natural sciences (12 months for the social sciences and humanities). If a given publisher will not allow OA on the RCUK's terms, then RCUK-funded authors must find another publisher. If they wish, grantees who choose to publish in fee-based OA journals may use grant funds to pay publication fees. Papers based on RCUK funding must include a "a statement on how underlying research materials [including data] can be accessed...."