Open access (an element of the broader movement of Open Science) aims to remove barriers to accessing knowledge and promote the widespread dissemination of research findings.
Open access increases the visibility and accessibility of academic research, allowing a broader audience to benefit from and engage with scholarly work. Research that is openly accessible is more likely to be cited and used by other researchers, leading to greater visibility and impact for authors and their work.
In 2021 UK Research and Innovation published a new Open Access Policy that applies to all publications that acknowledge funding from its councils (which includes the Medical Research Council, Arts and Humanities Research Council and more) .
The updated policy requires immediate open access for peer-reviewed research articles submitted for publication from 1 April 2022.
