Data Management and Open Access

Open Access to Research Outputs

The Finch Report, published in June 2012, sets out the principle that the findings of all publicly funded research should be freely accessible in the public domain.

The government, as set out in the response from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), has welcomed this report and asserted a firm commitment to improving free and open access to research publications; and the UK Research Councils have used the findings of the report to develop their policies on open access to research outputs.

The full text of the Finch Report, the BIS response, and the RCUK Policy on Access to Research Outputs are available at the links below.

What does this mean for researchers?

The Research Councils expect authors to make freely available any articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals or conference proceedings ('research papers'). 

From 1 April 2013, peer reviewed research papers which result from research that is wholly or partially funded by the Research Councils:

• must be published in journals which are compliant with the Research Council policy on Open Access (i.e. where the journal provides via its own website immediate and unrestricted access to the article, or where the journal allows the deposit of the article, including all changes made as a result of peer review, in an openly accessible repository within a defined period);
• must include details of the funding that has supported the research;
• must include a statement on how the underlying research materials (data, samples, models, etc.) can be accessed. 

Durham University Guidance