Digital resources in the Social Sciences and Humanities OpenEdition Our platforms OpenEdition Books OpenEdition Journals Hypotheses Calenda Libraries OpenEdition Freemium Follow us

An Overview of the Open Access Market: February 1, 2025

Springer Nature’s Strategic Pivot to Open Access

Springer Nature, a prominent academic publisher, has reported a 6% organic revenue growth in the first nine months of 2024, attributing this success to its OA and Nature titles. The company aims to have 50% of its articles published as OA by the end of the year, signaling a strategic move from traditional subscription models to OA frameworks. This transition reflects Springer Nature’s commitment to making research more accessible to a broader audience (Springer Nature, 2024).

Advocacy for Equitable Open Access Models

Critiques of the prevailing academic publishing system highlight concerns over the high costs associated with accessing research and the financial barriers faced by authors, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Advocates are calling for a shift towards “diamond” OA models, where neither authors nor readers bear the costs, promoting wider access and maintaining editorial independence (The Guardian, 2024).

Policy Initiatives to Enhance Open Access

In Australia, Chief Scientist Cathy Foley has proposed making global research freely accessible to all Australians by negotiating large-scale agreements with international publishers. This initiative aims to keep industries informed of the latest developments and enhance the adoption of advanced medical methods. Currently, Australian universities and research agencies spend approximately $500 million annually on research subscriptions and content, funded by taxpayers who generally do not have direct access to these resources (The Australian, 2024).

In the United States, the Biden administration’s decision to eliminate embargoes on publicly funded research is expected to accelerate OA publishing growth. Starting in 2026, publishers of federally funded research will no longer have 12 months of exclusivity, requiring authors to deposit their work in open repositories upon publication. This policy shift is anticipated to significantly impact the sustainability of pay-to-read models (STM Publishing News, 2022).

Addressing Inequities in Open Access Publishing

The Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) has released a set of recommended practices aimed at mitigating exclusion and reducing financial barriers in OA publishing. These recommendations encourage publishing organizations to evolve practices, build trust through greater transparency, and coordinate efforts to enable OA for all scholars, regardless of their location or circumstances (Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association, 2024).

The Role of Preprints in Open Access

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has refreshed its OA policy, emphasizing the importance of preprints—full drafts of research papers shared publicly prior to peer review. This approach aims to accelerate the dissemination of research findings, particularly in health-related fields, and reduce financial barriers associated with publishing in high-impact journals (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2024).

Conclusion

The recent developments in OA scholarly publishing reflect a concerted global effort to make research more accessible and equitable. These initiatives, spanning policy changes, strategic shifts by publishers, and advocacy for inclusive models, underscore a transformative period in the dissemination of knowledge across disciplines.

References

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2024, March 27). Paywalled Research Hinders Science | New Open Access Policy. Retrieved from gatesfoundation.org.

Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association. (2024, December 4). OASPA Launches Recommendations to Tackle Inequity in Open Access Publishing. Retrieved from infodocket.com.

Springer Nature. (2024, November 19). Springer Nature Confirms Outlook, Targeting Open Access Pivot. Retrieved from reuters.com.

The Guardian. (2024, July 16). Academic Journals Are a Lucrative Scam – and We’re Determined to Change That. Retrieved from theguardian.com.

The Australian. (2024, September 30). Free for All: Why Publicly Funded Research Should Be Made Public. Retrieved from theaustralian.com.au.

STM Publishing News. (2022, December 9). U.S. Policy Shift to Bolster Open Access Growth. Retrieved from stm-publishing.com.

[Edited by Pablo Markin. The initial draft has been generated using ChatGPT, OpenAI (February 1, 2025).]


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Pablo Markin (January 31, 2025). An Overview of the Open Access Market: February 1, 2025. Open Access Blog. Retrieved March 24, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/137xn


You may also like...