SCI - Delivering on open access: What’s next?

"...The UK has become a world leader in open access, with 37% of UK-authored articles immediately accessible and 54% within 12 months. This is partly attributed to the dedicated funding for gold open access – when articles are published without an embargo period – but criticisms over how these funds are distributed and used by publishers means problems persist.

The future open access publishing in the UK remains a topical and complex subject within the scientific community, as highlighted by a forum held on Tuesday 20 February attended by representatives from government, publishers and academia....

In December 2017, Universities UK produced a report – Monitoring the transition to open access – that addressed the very issues learned societies and their associated publications now face, particularly the financial implications. While societies’ publishing revenues grew by 18% between 2011 and 2015, expenditures also increased by 27%, therefore reducing net income. Many societies rely on this income to support their other activities, the report says.

The steps taken so far towards open access are promising, but policymakers must consider how changes may affect smaller stakeholders and make the transition to open research sustainable for all."