The Policy for open access to scholarly publications defines the principles, objectives and measures to which by committing and promoting the research community in Finland can achieve equal access to research-based knowledge. The policy is applicable in all disciplines and in various research organisations. The efforts of independent organisations to increase open access are supported by policy measures and principles.
The policy consists of common strategic principles and two policy components. The policy component for open access to journal articles and conference publications was completed in 2019, and the policy components for anthologies and monographs (2024) and professional publications (2025) are in process. The policy also includes a component for open access to theses, which was prepared in cooperation with the expert panel on open education and completed in 2024.
The principles identify the general conditions for pursuing op pen access to research publications. They provide important guidelines for the research community to adhere to in order to achieve openness. The objectives in turn provide more time-bound goals, including concrete actions.
- Open access to scholarly publications – National policy and executive plan by the research community in Finland for 2020–2025 (1): Policy component for open access to journal and conference articles
- Open education and educational resources, open access to scholarly publications. National policy and executive plan by the higher education and research community for 2021–2025: Policy component for open access to theses
Policy development timeline
The policy work was initiated by the then National Strategy Group on Open Science (now the National Steering Group for Open Science and Research) in 2018. Members of the expert panel for open access joined in 2019.
The introduction, the principles and the policy component for open access to journal articles and conference publications were open for comments 28.1.–26.2.2019 as well as 10.5.2019–7.6.2019. The document as a whole was approved by the steering group on 31 October 2019. The policy component for open access to anthologies and monographs was open for comments 7.2.2022–18.3.2022, and another commenting period is planned for autumn 2024.
Work on the policy component for open access to theses was started by the expert panels for open access and open education in 2022. The policy component was open for comments 18.9.–3.11.2023 and approved by the steering group 5.2.2024.
Comments on the policy:
- Comments on the policy component for open access to journal and conference articles (in Finnish and Swedish) : first round of comments | second round of comments
- Comments on the policy component for anthologies and monographs (2022, in Finnish and Swedish)
- Comments on the policy component for open access to theses (in Finnish and Swedish)
