The Australian Research Council (ARC) has released an update to its Open Access Policy, strengthening requirements to ensure that publicly funded research is accessible. The revised policy reflects national and international practices while accounting for differences across disciplines, publishing models, and cultural considerations. The updated policy, Version 2026.1, will take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to all ARC grant schemes opening on or after this date. Under the revised requirements, journal articles and conference papers must be made openly accessible immediately upon publication. Other research outputs, including monographs, edited volumes, book chapters, and research reports, must be made openly accessible as soon as possible and within 12 months of publication. Creative works are encouraged to be made openly accessible where feasible. The policy also introduces a requirement for all research outputs, including creative works, to include a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to support discoverability through standardized metadata. Additionally, researchers must cite the ARC’s Research Organization Registry (ROR) when acknowledging ARC funding. New provisions apply to research conducted with, by, or for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. These align with existing ARC grant requirements, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Open Science Policy, and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Code of Ethics. The ARC has also announced a webinar scheduled for May 20, 2026, to provide further guidance on the updated policy.
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