DFG takes ‘step in right direction’ with new open-access policy

German funder asks authors to make part of grant reports available in open-access repositories

Germany’s national research funder has taken a “step in the right direction” with its request for authors to make part of their project report available in open-access repositories, according to commentators.

Recipients of grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG) are required to complete reports on their project accounting for their use of public funds and setting out their research results—including negative results, which are often not reported in research papers published in journals.