More flexible funding needed for OA, says Finch

19 June 2012

The Bookseller

UK Research Councils and other funders should establish "more effective and flexible arrangements to meet the costs of publishing in open access and hybrid journals", according to the Finch Working Group Report  into expanding access to research publications in the UK, published today (19th June). 

The review, led by Dame Janet Finch (pictured), has strongly supported a policy direction towards open access publication for research. But it said that flexible initiatives such as those adopted by the Wellcome Trust were important for the development. Funders' limitations on the length of embargo periods before which content could be made open access should also "be considered carefully to avoid undue risk to valuable journals". Future discussions and negotiations between universities and publishers on the pricing of big deals should also "take into account" the revenue implications faced by publishers, the review said. 

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