Northumbria University is committed to open research and to
making our publications freely available to the widest possible audience.
Our Research Publications Policy sets out clear
requirements for ensuring research outputs are openly accessible, in line with Open
Access requirements for the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) and for research
funders, such as UKRI. This includes immediate Open Access for journal articles
and conference proceedings, and Open Access for longform outputs such as
monographs and book chapters.
Many research funders, keen to maximise the impact of their
funding, require that publications arising from their awards are made available
in an Open Access format.
New Open Access requirements for REF2029 will apply to journal
articles and conference proceedings from 1 January 2026.
The UKRI Open Access policy applies to:
- Journal
articles and conference proceedings from 1 April 2022
- Monographs,
book chapters, and edited collections from 1 January 2024
These requirements are part of a broader movement towards
open research, enabling global access to high-quality scholarship and
maximising its reach and reuse.
Open Access at Northumbria
The Scholarly Communications team in the University Library
provides a comprehensive set of services to support researchers to meet Open
Access requirements and share their work widely. This includes:
- Institutional
repositories for publications and research data, ensuring long-term
preservation and visibility.
- Central
funds available to cover eligible Open Access publishing fees.
- Expert
guidance on the Research Publications Policy, funder requirements, and
the most effective routes to achieve Open Access.
- End-to-end
support for managing compliance, from deposit and metadata entry to
funder reporting.
Visit the Open Access webpages for full guidance and resources.
Contact the team via openaccess@northumbria.ac.uk
