IReL is working with two academic publishers to explore new open access (OA) business models that address limitations in current transformative publishing agreements. This collaboration aligns with the objectives set out in Ireland’s National Open Research Forum (NORF) Action Plan, which envisions a fully open access publishing landscape in Ireland by 2030.
While IReL’s portfolio of over 20 transformative agreements has significantly expanded immediate open access to Irish research outputs, several challenges remain. These include article publishing caps, limited pricing transparency, concerns over long-term affordability, and uncertainties about whether such models can lead to a full and equitable transition to open access on a global scale.
In response, IReL has joined working groups with two publishers who are independently developing alternative approaches. These models aim to support open access publishing on a fair and sustainable basis, and to extend beyond access by incorporating broader open research practices. Potential features include open peer review, the formal inclusion and assessment of non-article research outputs such as data and software, and the adoption of FAIR principles to ensure content is findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable.
Details of the pilot initiatives, expected to launch within the next one to two years, have not yet been disclosed. However, both publishers share key goals with IReL, including the promotion of globally inclusive OA models and pricing structures that move away from output-based incentives and toward transparent, equitable frameworks.
IReL acknowledges the efforts of these publishers to engage with stakeholders—including libraries, funders, and consortia—in advancing open research practices. The outcomes of these pilots may inform future directions for IReL’s publishing agreements.
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