University College London has said that the controversial publishing initiative Plan S is not the way forward, while declaring its full support for open access.
On 21 January, UCL described the approach of Plan S as “heavy-handed” and called for a rethink of its strategy and timelines. The coalition of funders behind the initiative should engage more with universities and researchers, UCL said, adding that the requirements of individual subject areas also need to be more precisely understood.
The university made its stance public in its response to an ongoing public consultation on the implementation guidance of Plan S. It said that its position evolved from a meeting attended by more than 120 academics on 8 January, whom UCL said expressed widespread support for open access but also raised reservations about Plan S.
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