German universities and higher education institutions have overwhelmingly embraced the renewed DEAL agreement with Springer Nature. Just months after its signing, over 99% of these institutions have joined the landmark agreement, signaling a significant stride towards accessible and inclusive scientific research.
The renewal of the DEAL agreement marks a continuation of the pioneering efforts that have already yielded remarkable results. Between 2018 and 2022, the impact of the previous agreement was palpable:
Quadrupled Accessibility: The number of freely accessible publications by German researchers surged to an impressive 15,000 per year, reflecting a monumental fourfold increase. Global Visibility: Downloads of these accessible articles skyrocketed, with global figures increasing more than fivefold to nearly 1,300 downloads per article on average. Enhanced Access: Subscribers to the DEAL agreement experienced a significant uptick in access, with downloads of subscription content climbing by 53% to a staggering 18.8 million.
These statistics underscore the dual impact of the DEAL agreement, both elevating the global visibility of German research and facilitating access to high-quality scientific literature within the country.
The renewed agreement, inked last November, ushers in a new era of open access for researchers affiliated with participating institutions. Under the terms of the agreement, researchers gain access to publish content in OA and hybrid journals from Springer, Palgrave, and Adis, as well as in OA titles within the Nature Portfolio and BMC journals, all under attractive conditions. Additionally, researchers receive reading access to subscription articles spanning the entire Springer, Palgrave, and Adis portfolio.
Springer Nature has long championed initiatives aimed at fostering transparency and accessibility in research. The publishing giant's commitment to open access extends beyond mere publication, encompassing the promotion of research data, incremental findings, and negative results to enhance replicability and reproducibility in scientific endeavors. Moreover, Springer Nature remains steadfast in its mission to continually augment the proportion of articles that are immediately and freely accessible, reaffirming its dedication to advancing the frontiers of open science.
As German universities stand at the vanguard of open access initiatives, the renewed DEAL agreement with Springer Nature heralds a promising future of collaborative and inclusive research, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries that transcend borders and boundaries.
Click here to read the original press release.
