The Open Access Policy for REF 2029 will be published in autumn/winter 2024.
The REF Steering Group has considered the responses to the Open Access Consultation and made the following early decisions.
Journal articles and conference proceedings
We will communicate the final policy position, including on embargo periods, licensing, deposit and exceptions for journal publications in autumn/winter 2024. The implementation date for the revised policy will be no earlier than 1 January 2026. This will allow over a year between policy announcement and implementation, which many respondents highlighted as being required to make updates to internal management systems.
The REF 2021 Open Access Policy submission requirements will continue to apply to journal articles and conference proceedings until succeeded by the new policy. Any output meeting the UKRI Open Access Policy requirements will be recognised as fully meeting REF Open Access requirements with no further steps required.
Longform outputs
Open access for longform outputs remains a key area of policy interest for the funding bodies but in response to sector concerns, and in recognition of the broad set of challenges currently facing the sector, there will be no longform open access mandate for REF 2029.
An open access requirement for submission of longform outputs will be in place for the next assessment exercise, with implementation from 1 January 2029.
The funding bodies will work in collaboration with UKRI and key stakeholders and across the sector to develop a policy for longform outputs for implementation in January 2029.
Read the full story in our news item.