The international initiative for the transition of research publishing to an open access model (OA2020) aims to change the funding flows for high-quality scholarly journals. The intention is that in future, payment will be made not for access to articles but for their open access publication. This can be achieved through agreements between library consortia and publishers. Such an arrangement would enable all researchers at institutions which are party to the agreement to publish their work on an open access basis without sustaining expenses of their own.

Research libraries and other information providers play a central role in the transition to open access, as it is here that agreements are concluded and procurement budgets – and often open access funds – are managed. Libraries are also central points of contact and advice for locally based researchers.

As part of a call for proposals, the DFG is supporting the conclusion of agreements with publishers to cover the costs of open access publishing together with licence fees. Any process adjustments required in consortia or at institutions for open access transition agreements can also be supported.

Academic research institutions can also submit proposals to develop model workflows for calculating the amount of article fees for hybrid journals spent by their staff. Solutions for the integration of open access and procurement budgets or the development of distribution mechanisms for open access funding are also eligible. In addition to this, institutions can apply for funding for process adjustments to enable participation in transition agreements. Consortia can receive additional funds for the evaluation of transition agreements.

As part of this call, in addition to agreement projects mainly organised by consortia, proposals may also be submitted by individual institutions to meet structural challenges at higher education institutions in connection with the open access transition.

Proposals for the funding of open access transition agreements beginning in 2018 must be submitted to the DFG Head Office via the elan portal by 28 June 2017. Proposals for open access workflow and fund projects (without an agreement) can be submitted at any time in 2017 and 2018.

If this is your first proposal to the DFG, please note that you must register in the elan portal before you can submit your proposal. You will normally receive confirmation of your registration by the next working day.

Further Information

DFG programme contact:

• Dr. Angela Holzer, 
  Tel. +49 228 885-2568, 
  angela.holzer@dfg.de