Article highlights
- A new open-access program from Cambridge University Press has been launched with the intention of assisting writers from low and middle-income nations.
- Academics from 107 nations, including Nigeria, will be able to publish their research in Cambridge journals with open access free of charge.
- This initiative will waive article processing fees for Gold Open Access Publications which typically cost around £2,000 or $3,000, and give more visibility to authors.
A new open-access program from Cambridge University Press has been launched with the intention of assisting writers from low- and middle-income nations.
Academics from 107 nations, including Nigeria, will be able to publish their research in Cambridge journals with open access free of charge.
Academics from these countries who wish to publish their research through open access but do not have access to funding will receive assistance from the Cambridge Open Equity Initiative.
This initiative will waive article processing fees for Gold open access publications which typically cost around £2,000 or $3,000, varying by the journal.
Last year, 50% of Cambridge University Press’ articles were published with open access, however, the plan is to have more open-access publications by 2025.
What they said
According to a spokesman from Cambridge University Press, “This pilot period allows us to listen to scholars, editors, librarians and universities as we refine the model and ensure we can make it sustainable for the whole community”.
He further stated,
- “Through financial support from Cambridge and collaboration with its institutional partners, over 5,000 institutions will benefit from the initiative”
- “It will be available to authors from July 1, 2023, until December 31, 2024”.
- “From June 2023, institutional partners can contribute and choose to do the program “as a part of their existing or upcoming transformative agreement.”
The advantages of open access
Open access was frequently linked to negative stereotypes, like the notion that “open access” equates to poor quality.
Cambridge University Press addressed some of these issues by, confirming that the Open Access submissions to Cambridge undergo the exact same “peer review and publication process as non-OA submissions”.
Additionally, some misunderstandings about open access include giving up copyrights, which Cambridge insists it does not do.
According to Cambridge, there are numerous advantages for all parties involved in the publication process of open access.
Unlocking the Potential and Visibility of Authors
The mission of the Cambridge Open Equity Initiative is to increase author visibility while providing the best learning and research solutions.
Increased public engagement and visibility are especially beneficial to authors, many of whom may not typically experience these due to a lack of funding at their respective institutions.
According to the University spokesperson,
- “It’s a step in the right direction, and we are working with similar-minded organisations to identify further steps we can take”
To strengthen this initiative further, Institutions will also join Cambridge University Press in investing in the initiative to support peers in lower-income countries.
What this means for Nigerians
The move will help overcome financial barriers to publishing open-access research in countries where research funding is scarce such as Nigeria.
Asides from Cambridge waiving fees from independent scholars, when a scholar’s paper is accepted, the university press will automatically recognize the eligibility of the corresponding authors.
The benefit of this is more global visibility for these researchers and authors.
