UKRI monograph open access policy coming soon
What you need to know about the new policy and how the Library will support you in meeting UKRI requirements.
From 1 January 2024, the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) open access policy will apply to books, chapters and edited works associated with UKRI funding.
UKRI already require that research articles must be made open access immediately on publication. From next year, long-form publications such as monographs, book chapters and edited collections must be open access within 12 months of publication under a Creative Commons licence.
UKRI recently released new guidance on the policy and some exemptions for the long-form requirement. The policy aims to ensure that findings from research UKRI funds with public money can be accessed and built on by the research and innovation community and wider society.
UKRI policy requirements
The key requirements of the policy are that the:
- Author’s Accepted Manuscript or the final Version of Record must be free to view and download via an online publication platform, publishers’ website, or institutional or subject repository within a maximum of 12 months of publication.
- open access version must have a Creative Commons licence that allows the reader to search for and reuse content, subject to proper attribution. A Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence is preferred, as that provides the greatest opportunity for sharing and reuse but other Creative Commons licences are permitted.
- open access version should include, where possible, any images, illustrations, tables and other supporting content. UKRI’s licensing requirements do not apply to any supporting content that is provided by third-party copyright holders. These materials can be published with a more restrictive licence or on an “All Rights Reserved” basis.
Exception to the policy
There is an exception if you are currently planning a longform publication for release after 1 January 2024. If a contract has been signed between an author and publisher before January that prevents adherence to the policy, the policy includes an exception for that publication. However, UKRI still encourage authors and publishers to make publications open access within a year of the publication date.
Funding for long-form publications
From Autumn 2023, a central UKRI fund will be set up to support open access costs associated with long form publications. When the UKRI publishes its full guidance on applying to this fund, the Library will confirm the application process for Leeds authors.
There will be a two-stage process:
- the Library registers the output with the UKRI for funding. A publishing contract is not needed at this stage, but a statement on the relationship of the output to the UKRI funded project or grant, including the author’s role in this, is required.
- the Library provides final confirmation of the publication to allow for the release of funds.
Guidance and support
For more details about what information is required at each stage, see the UKRI’s guidance on implementing their open access policy.
UKRI will contact grant holders and hold a webinar for researchers on the new policy in Autumn 2023.
If you’re a UKRI-funded researcher who is planning to publish an output that falls within the scope of this policy, please contact us to discuss what this means for you and how you can comply.
