Research Funder Open Access Policies

The new UKRI Open Access Policy applies to in-scope monographs, book chapters and edited collections published on or after 1st January 2024. Please note, further details on this policy are to be released throughout 2022.

Long form publications are defined as

• academic monographs
• book chapters
• edited collections
• trade books (only considered as in-scope when a trade book is the only output from UKRI funded research).

The following long form publications are treated as out of scope of the policy:

• trade books
• scholarly editions
• exhibition catalogues
• scholarly illustrated catalogues
• textbooks
• fictional works and creative writing.

You must make the long form output open access within 12 months of publication with an open licence. There are two routes to achieving open access:

• The final Version of Record must be free to view and download from an online publication platform or publisher's website, or
• The Author Accepted Manuscript must be available in City Research Online (CRO) within a maximum of 12 months of publication

The open access version:

• Must have a Creative Commons licence with a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) licence preferred. An Open Government Licence is also permitted. (please note this requirement does not apply to third party materials)
• Where possible, any images, illustrations, tables and other supporting content should be included (see licensing requirements below).

Choosing a publisher

You can choose the publisher most approriate for your research, provided UKRIs policy requirements are met. When choosing a publisher, and before entering any contract:

• Contact the publisher and inform them that your publication must meet the reqirements of the policy
• Identify if they:
  • Offer open access of the final Version of Record (refer to UKRI funding for long-form publications below) or
  • If they will allow you to deposit your Author Accepted Manuscript in City Research Online with a maximum 12 month embargo and a creative commons licence.

If they do not allow either option you should consider another publisher before using an exemption to the policy.

Depositing in a repository

If the publisher allows you to deposit in a repository;

• The output must be deposited in City Research Online (CRO) in line City's Open Access Policy

Long-form publications are exempt from the policy in the following cases:

• You have signed a contract with a publisher before 1 January 2024 that doesn't allow open access
• Where the only appropriate publisher, after liaison and consideration, is unable to offer an open access option that complies with UKRI's policy
• If the monograph, book chapter, or edited collection is the outcome of a UKRI technical Grant.
• Reuse permissions for third-party materials cannot be obtained and there is no suitable alternative to allow open access publication

You do not have to apply to UKRI to use an exemption, however, advice on using an exemption should be sought from Research Support Services before doing so.

UKRI may require authors or institutions to provide notification when an exemption is used, and final guidance on this will be provided in Autumn 2023.

Full details of policy exemptions can be found in the UKRI Open Access Policy Annex 3: Guidance for authors on using policy exemptions for long-form monographs, book chapters and edited collections.

The open access version of long form output should be published with a Creative Commons licence:

• Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) is preferred to maximise sharing and reuse
• Other Creative Commons licences are permitted
• An Open Government Licence (OGL) is permitted when authors are subject to Crown Copyright.

Third-party copyright material

UKRI's licensing requirements do not apply to any materials that are provided by third-party copyright holders.

Long-form publications published under a CC-BY, or other creative commons licence may include third party materials which are subject to a more restrictive licence.

An exception to the policy may be applied when reuse permissions for third party materials cannot be obtained and there is nor option available to allow open access publication.

For further information please see UKRI's Guidance on managing copyright under UKRI open access policy.

All in-scope long form publications must include an acknowledgement of UKRI funding.

If choosing to publish the Version of Record open access, and there is a charge involved, you may be eligible for UKRI funding to support these costs.

• A dedicated UKRI fund for open access costs will be available.
• From Autumn 2023, research organisations can submit applications
• Applications can be made before signing a publishing contract
• UKRI will approve funding where a substantial link between the publication and UKRI research funding is demonstrated.
• Further UKRI guidance will be published in Autumn 2023.

If you are applying for a research grant and expect to publish a monograph, book chapter, or edited collection between 1st January 2024 and 31 December 2024, the open access costs can be included in your grant application if it is expected that publication will take place during the research grant award period.