Jisc has commenced negotiations on behalf of the UK higher education sector to determine how universities will continue to access and publish in open-access journals.
The Next Generation Open Access initiative, led by Jisc through its strategic groups, seeks to establish a framework for a more sustainable and inclusive model of scholarly publishing. The initiative aims to address financial challenges faced by institutions while expanding participation in open research. By moving away from article-based agreements that emphasize high-cost, high-growth publishing models, the discussions will explore alternatives that support long-term sustainability, innovation, and broader collaboration.
Jisc emphasizes that open access to scholarly content is integral to advancing scientific research, fostering innovation, and ensuring equitable participation in knowledge production. Investment in Next Generation Open Access agreements is expected to provide benefits for researchers, institutions, industry, and civic partnerships by increasing opportunities for engagement in open research.
Jisc is leading negotiations with the five largest publishers of journal research—Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, Wiley, and Sage—with the aim of securing agreements that align with the shared priorities of UK universities. A March 2024 report by Jisc highlighted that the UK is transitioning to open access publishing at a faster rate than the global average. However, current article-based models remain financially restrictive, particularly for researchers in underfunded institutions.
As part of the negotiations, alternative models will be considered, including sharing underlying research data and implementing publishing frameworks that allow open access without fees for authors or readers. These discussions aim to ensure that future agreements reflect institutional values and promote inclusivity in academic publishing.
Negotiations will continue throughout the summer, with new agreements expected to be introduced in November 2025.
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