Open access

The goal is to reach 100% open access as being formulated nationally (the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science) and institutionally by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), the Association of Research Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) and the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW). This goal is also incorporated as a theme in the National Programme Open Science (NPOS) and coincides with the ambitions of Utrecht University.

Where we come from

In the past years Utrecht University has made significant progress in the quest towards full open access. For example, since 2005 Utrecht University has operated its Institutional Repository. Since 2012, there has been an Open Access Fund and Utrecht University is an active participant in open access negotiations with publishers coordinated by the VSNU. On top of that, during the last fifteen years, a lot of expertise has been built up within the University Library when it comes to open access Publishing Support and information for researchers.

Ambitions

Now, with the Utrecht University Open Science Programme, open access becomes a topic that will be put on the agenda within the entire organization. In the three years of the programme, the goal of the open access track is to make substantial progress in making open access a natural part of the research cycle and researcher’s workflow.

At the end of the programme a number of sub-projects will be completed, all of them aiming at making open access publishing a part of the usual routine for every researcher linked to Utrecht University.

Tasks and goals

The project management of this track, which started in February 2019, is in the hands of the Utrecht University Library.

The work is divided in seven work packages: 1) creating more awareness and offering dedicated support for open access publishing; 2) further work on open access deals; 3) get full insight in open access publishing costs at the university; 4) enhancing open access monitoring; 5) supporting initiatives for open access books; 6) create more services for the Utrecht University Repository and 7) further developing institutional open access policy to align with funder requirements

Several researchers from all faculties and members of staff departments will participate in the work packages. Discussions with various stakeholders from all parts of the university have taken place to assemble teams that will carry out the various tasks within the project.

Because the subject depends on numerous national and international developments, changes may occur during the course of the project.

Open access at the University Library Open access is a broad international academic movement that seeks free, free online access to scholarly information. Read how this works at the University Library here.