MDPI has entered into a new two-year agreement with the UK’s Jisc consortium, extending access to the publisher’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) through the end of 2027. The agreement enables more than 60 UK institutions to participate in the program, with provisions that include discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs) and broader support for open access publishing.
The agreement reflects continued uptake of Gold Open Access across the UK and growing demand for structured institutional publishing support. Several universities joined the IOAP in 2025, including De Montfort University, the University of the West of Scotland, the University of West London, Robert Gordon University, and the University of Leicester. These additions indicate sustained regional engagement with open access publishing frameworks.
Institutions adopting centralized funding models under the agreement receive higher APC discounts along with tailored invoicing mechanisms. Researchers affiliated with participating institutions also gain access to reduced Book Processing Charges (BPCs) through MDPI Books, alongside discounts on Author Services and the Journal and Article Management System (JAMS).
Since 2023, MDPI has published approximately 30,000 articles linked to UK institutions, with 98% indexed in Web of Science or Scopus. More than 4,200 of these publications were supported through APC waivers under the IOAP, highlighting the program’s role in improving accessibility to scholarly publications.
MDPI’s UK operations, established in 2019, continue to support national engagement through workshops, outreach programs, and the annual UK Summit. These initiatives focus on strengthening researcher support and facilitating collaboration within the academic community. According to the MDPI UK Annual Report 2024, 94% of UK authors rated their publishing experience as good or excellent.
The UK also maintains a strong editorial presence within MDPI’s global network, with more than 3,500 editorial board members, including editors-in-chief and section editors contributing to journal development. The agreement with Jisc is expected to further reinforce institutional open access adoption and support scholarly publishing across the region.
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