New principles for open access to scientific publications

(Photo: Shutterstock) Ensuring free online access, usually called open access, to published research results of publicly funded research is an increasingly important research policy objective. The Research Council's principles for open access to scientific publications set out guidelines for achieving this objective.

The principles establish that scientific journal articles based on R&D projects funded by the Research Council must be stored in open digital archives, making them available to all interested parties. The Research Council emphasises, however, that this type of archiving must not infringe on the rights of authors or publishers.

Alternatives for ensuring access
There are two main ways to ensure access: self-archiving and open access journals.

• Self-archiving usually involves saving postprint versions of peer reviewed articles in open digital archives. The archives may pertain to institutions or specific subject areas. 
• Open access journals are electronic journals that are freely available on the Internet. The journals are quality assured in the usual way through peer review, but the publishing costs are covered by the authors themselves rather than through subscriptions.

In the view of the Research Council, self-archiving is currently the best way to ensure public access to scientific publications.

Implementation and follow-up
In the coming months the Research Council will prepare a framework for implementing the principles for open access to scientific publications in R&D contracts and routines for project follow-up. The Research Council was also commissioned by the Ministry of Research and Education to carry out an assessment of measures that could be used to promote self-archiving and other open access publishing.

Meeting research policy challenges
Ensuring open access through self-archiving meets several key research policy needs by enhancing scientific quality, as many more researchers may easily comment and expand on published research results. Researchers at institutions with limited funding, not least in developing countries, are also able to access the latest findings. In addition, this form of publishing ensures future access to today's published research results, and facilitates the use of findings by trade and industry, government authorities and the public administration.