Research Excellence Framework team says books mandate will be introduced for following assessment exercise
There will be no open access mandate for longform submissions to the 2029 Research Excellence Framework, it has been confirmed.
Today, the REF team outlined a number of initial decisions on its open access policy for 2029—including that no open access requirement for submission of academic books and other longform outputs will be in place for the next exercise.
“Open access for longform outputs remains a key area of policy interest for the funding bodies but in response to sector concerns, and in recognition of the broad set of challenges currently facing the sector, there will be no longform open access mandate for REF 2029,” the team said in a statement.
An open access requirement for submission of longform outputs will be in place for the next assessment exercise after 2029, it adds, with implementation commencing in January 2029.
‘Planning and adaptation’
“The funding bodies will work in collaboration with UK Research and Innovation and key stakeholders and across the sector to develop a policy for longform outputs well in advance of the implementation date, to allow time for planning and adaptation by the sector,” the team said.
The final REF 2029 open access policy will be published “in autumn-winter 2024”, the REF team said, and it will have an implementation date no earlier than 1 January 2026.
“This will allow over a year between policy announcement and implementation, which many respondents highlighted as being required to make updates to internal management systems,” the team said.
REF 2021 open access policy submission requirements will continue to apply to journal articles and conference proceedings until they are succeeded by the new policy. “Any output meeting the UKRI open access policy requirements will be recognised as fully meeting REF open access requirements with no further steps required,” the team added.
Consultation influence
Today’s announcements follow the conclusion of a consultation on REF open access policy, which ran from March to June this year and proposed the introduction of an open access mandate for longform outputs for REF 2029. In its statement, the team said it assessed the views and evidence submitted to inform its decision making.
Rebecca Fairbairn, REF Director, said she wanted to provide “as much clarity as we can, as quickly as we can, even on the most complex areas of policy”.
“I am grateful to everyone who took the time to engage with the consultation so we can determine the best balance for this policy for the sector,” she added.
Steven Hill, chair of the REF Steering Group and research director at Research England, said: “Open access brings significant benefits across the sector, both for researchers and for those accessing their research.
“The funding bodies recognise the potential open access publication has to make research more efficient and impactful as an intrinsic part of the research process. I look forward to working with my team in Research England, colleagues in the funding bodies, and with UKRI to develop policy for the next assessment exercise.”