Open Access (OA) publishing ensures that your research is freely available to a global audience, enhancing its visibility and impact. This guide outlines the three primary OA routes: Gold, Green, and Diamond, and provides information on how SETU researchers can comply with institutional and funder requirements while maximising the reach of their work. This guide aligns with the SETU Open Research Policy, which details the university’s commitment to transparency, collaboration, and accessibility in research.

Gold Open Access (APCs)

Gold OA typically involves an Article Processing Charge (APC) paid by the author or institution to make an article freely available immediately upon publication. Through IREL arrangements, SETU has Read and Publish Agreements with several major publishers, allowing researchers to publish OA without additional APC costs within an annual quota of articles. These agreements operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The SETU corresponding author will be given the opportunity to avail of this during article submission, for as long as the quota remains available. Quotas typically last until late in the year.

Participating Publishers:

• Oxford University Press
• Cambridge University Press
• Sage
• Wiley
• Taylor & Francis
• Springer
• Elsevier (In a separate deal from IReL, but works in exactly the same way)

To check if a journal is included in these agreements, visit: http://bit.ly/irelOAjournals (consult the README tab for search instructions).

Green and Diamond Open Access

Green Open Access

Green OA allows researchers to publish in any journal while also depositing a version of their work in a repository. This route provides free access to research, often after an embargo period, and is a viable alternative when an APC-free journal is not available.

SETU researchers can deposit their work via PURE: https://research.setu.ie/. Researchers should follow FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) when making their data available in repositories, in line with the SETU Open Research Policy.

Diamond Open Access

Diamond OA journals do not charge APCs and are often funded by institutions or scholarly societies. The quality of these journals is not diminished by the absence of fees—authors, reviewers, and editors ensure rigorous peer review and editorial oversight, just as in traditional paid models.

The European Commission recognizes the value of Diamond OA in promoting equitable access to high-quality research and is working to support Diamond journals through shared principles, guidelines, and quality standards.

Academic Freedom and Institutional Policies

SETU upholds academic freedom, allowing researchers to choose their preferred publishing venue. You do not need an APC to fulfill your open access obligations—Green OA allows you to comply with funder requirements regardless of where you publish. For guidance on repository deposits or OA requirements, contact the library.

Institutional Policy Alignment

SETU has signed the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and is a member of COARA (Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment), having signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. These commitments reinforce SETU’s position that research should be evaluated based on intrinsic quality and contribution rather than journal-level metrics.

Research Assessment and Responsible Metrics

• SETU researchers should not rely on journal impact factors as a measure of research quality, as per DORA and COARA principles. Instead, researchers are encouraged to use article-level metrics, such as citation counts, social impact, reproducibility, and contributions to Open Science.
• Research assessment should consider the diversity of research outputs, including datasets, software, protocols, and engagement activities, rather than just traditional publications.
• Researchers are encouraged to use Persistent Identifiers (PIDs), such as ORCID iD and DOIs, to enhance the visibility and credibility of their work, as recommended by the SETU Open Research Policy.

Compliance & Support

All SETU researchers are expected to adhere to the SETU Open Research Policy, which outlines obligations for Open Access publishing, research data management, and compliance with funder requirements. Researchers should ensure their outputs, including publications and datasets, are deposited in PURE to facilitate accessibility and compliance.

For further information on Open Access publishing, contact the SETU Library or Research Office.