Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has strengthened its support for Open Access (OA) publishing by enabling researchers to publish articles in eligible Springer Hybrid journals without article processing charges (APCs). The initiative supports academics by making all aspects of their research—such as publications, preprints, data, protocols, methods, and peer review—freely accessible to the global community. The move is part of a broader effort to enhance the visibility, accessibility, and impact of scholarly outputs.
On August 6, UTM Library and the UTM Research Alliance organized a hybrid webinar, “Springer TA Explained: How to Publish Without Paying a Cent,” which attracted more than 275 participants. The session introduced the Transformative Agreement (TA) between Konsortium Sumber Elektronik Pendidikan Tinggi (KONSEPt) and Springer Nature, allowing researchers from UTM and other member universities to publish OA without incurring APCs.
Through the Read and Publish model, over 20 institutions in the consortium also gain access to Springer’s extensive subscription portfolio, including Springer, Adis, Palgrave, and Academic Journals. Springer Nature, a global publisher managing more than 1 million submissions annually, supports over 580 OA journals and more than 2,200 transformative and hybrid titles.
The webinar featured Springer Nature representatives who outlined the benefits of the agreement and provided guidance on maximizing its advantages. The event drew participation from Deputy Deans of Research & Innovation, research managers, faculty members, and postgraduate students, underscoring the growing interest in OA publishing.
This initiative highlights UTM’s ongoing commitment to fostering OA and advancing the global reach of its research community.
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