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We take a look at how Elsevier’s open access initiatives are supporting authors globally

For a number of years now, we’ve been working closely with the research community to develop a range of flexible, inclusive and accessible open access (OA) options for authors. In this article, we take a look at three key focus areas.

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1. Making OA more affordable for authors in low- and middle-income countries

For more than 20 years, Research4Life opens in new tab/window has provided researchers in lower- and middle-income countries with free or low-cost online access to academic and professional content.

As a founding partner and leading contributor to Research4Life, we provide 15% of the 205,000 peer reviewed resources. We also automatically apply article publishing charge (APC) waivers or discounts to articles published in any of our 800 fully open access journals, if all authors are based in one of the 125+ countries and territories eligible for the Research4Life program opens in new tab/window.

What does this mean for eligible authors?

If you and your fellow authors are based in one or more of these countries, there is no need to submit a request or proof of need. The APC waiver/discount is automatically applied when you submit your paper to a fully OA journal. Even if these criteria don’t apply, you may still be eligible for support. If you cannot afford the APC and have not received research funding, we can work with you to explore the options.

Breaking new ground with a geographical pilot

In January 2024, we launched an industry-first geographical pricing for open access (GPOA) pilot, which covers 143 of our fully open access journals.

These journals waive or discount their APC based on the local economic conditions and average income of the corresponding author’s country. The criteria and a full list of eligible countries can be found on our website.

What does this mean for eligible authors?

Thanks to the breadth of countries included in the pilot, more authors worldwide now have the option to publish open access with Elsevier. This may help to expand the reach of their work, opening the door to new international collaborations and funding. It’s also good news for science – many studies have found that a diversity of views is crucial for a healthy research ecosystem.

2. Making it easier for authors to publish OA via read and publish agreements

At Elsevier we’ve been working closely with institutions and consortia to understand their needs and strategic goals so that we can co-develop read and publish agreements to support them.

The past decade has seen steady growth in the number and scope of these agreements. While they vary in their details, they typically provide a combination of:

• Researcher access to subscription content in the publisher’s journals.

• The option to publish open access in many of the publisher’s journals covered under the agreement, without the author incurring an APC.

What does this mean for eligible authors?

If your institution has a read and publish agreement with Elsevier, publishing open access in one of our journals is often as simple as confirming your affiliation during submission.

This means you can choose the OA route without the burden of finding funds for the APC or following complex eligibility processes. It also helps you to comply with any funder or institutional OA mandates and goals.

In addition, some of our agreements move beyond reading and publishing. For example, a 2023 transformative deal with The South African National Library and Information Consortium (SANLiC) includes a developmental program to support growth in the country’s higher education and research community. Chairperson of the SANLiC Board of Directors, Ellen Tise, anticipates this will “significantly enhance the research and learning capabilities of South African institutions.”

3. Smoothing the path to OA

In addition to these focus areas, we continue to invest in guiding authors through the OA publishing process and providing clear information about options and prices. For example, we present authors with a personalized APC based on factors including country, institutional affiliation, society membership and the journal involved. Moreover, we employ “price logic”, which means that we always show the best, i.e., lowest price, and we continue to honor the price shown at submission.

Looking to grow your understanding of open access?

• Familiarize yourself with key terminology with our online guide to open access, which includes explanatory videos and a useful FAQ.

• Learn why and how to publish open access with Elsevier via our author hub.

• Dive deeper with a range of helpful training modules for authors opens in new tab/window on Elsevier’s Researcher Academy.