Open Access

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.

Download the Research Publications Policy.

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