Open Access Book Fund pilot

The Open University is currently piloting an Open Access Book Fund which will run for 2 years from 1^st August 2024. This fund can be used to meet the Open Access costs (up to a maximum of £10,000 inclusive of VAT) of publishing a book for OU academic staff and members of research staff.

The fund is administered on a first-come, first-served basis, but will prioritise applications for books which are likely to be submitted to Research Excellence Framework 2029 (REF2029). Applicants should discuss their book proposal/funding application with the appropriate Unit of Assessment (UOA) Lead prior to submitting their application, who will be asked by the Open Access Book Fund Review panel to provide a statement in support of the application.

Please ensure you have taken the time to read the full eligibility and selection criteria below before making an application to the fund. A list of Frequently Asked Questions is available if you have any questions after reading the below. You should only apply to the fund at the point at which you need to commit to a choice of Open Access with your publisher.

Eligibility and selection criteria:

• The fund is a pilot running for 2 years from the 1^st August 2024;
• The fund is open to all OU academic staff and members of research staff (this excludes Postgraduate Research Students);
• Funding is only available to pay Open Access costs for books (excluding edited collections and book chapters) that are authored by an OU academic or member of research staff;
• A maximum of £10,000 (inclusive of VAT) will be awarded for a single book;
• Books which are likely to be submitted to REF2029 will be prioritised;
• Applicants must share full details of their book proposal and discuss their application with the appropriate Unit of Assessment (UOA) Lead prior to submitting an application to the fund, to ensure they are supportive. The UOA Lead will be asked by the Open Access Book Fund Review panel to provide a statement in support of the application (please see the full list of UOA leads, and consult your Head of Discipline or your School Research Director if you are unsure about your UOA);
• Outputs arising from externally funded research where the funder meets Open Access book publishing costs are not eligible for the fund, nor can the fund be used to "top up" funds where a funder has stipulated a maximum contribution to OA costs (e.g. UKRI).

How to apply

If you believe that you meet the eligibility criteria, you can submit an Application to the Open Access Book Fund. The application will ask you to provide the following information, so please ensure that you have prepared this in advance:

• Name and affiliations of all authors
• Name of publisher
• (Proposed) title of book
• Estimated costs (inclusive of VAT)
• Plans for funding any additional costs above the £10,000 (inclusive of VAT) limit
• Whether a contract has been signed with the publisher
• What stage of production the book is at
• Expected publication date
• If there are any third-party copyright works within the publication (where rights clearance may be required)
• If the book is an output of externally funded research (and grant reference number)
• Confirmation that the book proposal has been discussed with the relevant Unit of Assessment Lead (they will be asked by the panel to provide a supporting statement)
• A brief overview of the book
• An explanation of how you believe the book meets the REF criteria of originality, significance and rigour. Please see the REF criteria guidance for detailed guidance about how these criteria are assessed, including panel-specific interpretations (you should refer to this guidance to create your statements).

Submissions will be reviewed quarterly by the Open Access Book Fund Review Panel, and the Academic Lead Open Research will make final funding approval decisions. You will be notified via email of the outcome of your request. The dates of future quarterly meetings and deadlines for submission will be regularly updated on this webpage.

We recognise that the timelines for the pilot scheme may be challenging for colleagues who are still in the process of developing book proposals. If you are in this situation, please note that, subject to this pilot being extended, there may be opportunities to apply for funding in 2026-27.

For support with your application, please contact the Library Research Support Team: library-research-support@open.ac.uk

Application deadlines:

• Tuesday 15th April 2025 for the May 2025 panel meeting

The Open Access Book Review Panel is comprised of:

Theo Papaioannou – Academic Lead Open Research

Valerie Hope – Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies, FASS

Angeliki Lymberopoulou – Senior Lecturer in Art History, FASS

Francesca Calo – Senior Lecturer in Management, FBL

Neil Edwards – Professor of Earth System Science, STEM

Administrative Support

Maxine Borton – Research Support Officer, Library

Nicola Dowson – Senior Manager Research Support, Library