Open Research Africa (ORA), a platform developed by F1000 and the Science for Africa Foundation, has expanded its submission eligibility to include articles with at least one author based in Africa regardless of funding source. Previously, submissions were limited to research supported by designated partnering research funders.
ORA was launched in 2022 to enable rapid sharing, discovery, use, and reuse of African research. The platform uses F1000’s publishing model, which includes a streamlined submission process and rapid publication of research outputs. It applies open, post-publication peer review to improve transparency, support understanding of the review process, and reduce editorial delays.
All published content is available free of charge worldwide. In 2024, 60% of submissions did not meet the previous eligibility criteria and were rejected. The updated policy responds to demand for broader inclusion among researchers. The change allows all Africa-based authors to submit work to the platform.
Articles submitted without partner funding may be subject to an open access article publishing charge. A discount and waiver scheme is available to support researchers in more than 40 African countries. Additional updates include editorial-led reviewer selection to improve publication efficiency and author experience.
ORA continues to operate with support from partner organizations, including the Science for Africa Foundation.
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