Stricter requirements for immediate open-access publication

2020-11-26

Formas is tightening the requirements for open-access scientific publication for calls that open after 1 January 2021. Under these requirements, all scientific publications resulting from projects funded by Formas must be published using immediate open access. The stricter requirements also describe how publication should take place.

Why is Formas adopting stricter requirements?

Research is a vital tool for achieving the sustainable development goals in Agenda 2030. For this to happen, research results must benefit society and research that is publicly funded must be able to be put into practice. Formas is therefore actively involved in issues related to open science and open access to scientific publications, and has had open-access requirements in place since 2012.

Today, many scholarly articles are locked behind expensive paywalls. Businesses, policymakers in municipalities and government agencies, schools and the general public are often excluded from accessing research that was funded using public funds. At the same time, subscription costs for scholarly journals have risen at a rate that makes it difficult for higher education institutions to access articles.

Formas, together with several other research funders, has therefore supported the Plan S initiative. Plan S calls for scientific publications from projects receiving funding to be made openly accessible immediately after 1 January 2021. The main difference from previous rules is that Formas no longer supports publishing in journals that apply delayed open access.

Who is affected by the stricter requirements?

If you applied for and were awarded funding in a call that opens after 1 January 2021, then you will be affected by the stricter requirements.

Who is not affected by the stricter requirements?

If you already have funding from Formas or were awarded funding in a call that opened before 1 January 2021, then you are not affected by the stricter requirements. In that case, Formas’ current open-access publishing rules External link. apply to you.

Contact Person

Updated:4 December 2020