Reasons for Open Access
Open Access makes findings from research and teaching practice visible to potential partners within science, society, business and culture, creating ideal conditions for collaboration among actors from academia and practice alike. The open-access.net platform has compiled a list of arguments for open access.
Paths to Open Access
Open Access is not equally well-established in all disciplines. There are several ways to publish open access: Directly, through a publisher (Gold Open Access), by “self-archiving” a paper after it was published in a conventional journal (Green Open Access), or in the framework of a Read and Publish agreement. In many cases, these methods offer a path to making one’s work accessible to the public while still relying on traditional publication channels.
Open Access in Switzerland
In its 2017 national open-access strategy, Switzerland committed to making the results of all publicly funded research projects freely accessible by 2024. The Strategy has been revised in 2024. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) demands and promotes access to publications. Alongside swissuniversities, the SNSF and other actors, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) champions open access: it backs up its commitment with an open access policy and by helping its employees to publish open access. What is more, the HSLU co-funds international open access initiatives (e.g., the Directory of Open Access Journals Creative Commons, Knowledge Unlatched etc.) and publishes the fees spent on open access articles (APCs) on the Open APC platform.
Open Access and research with industry partners
Cooperating with industry partners in research projects plays an important role in the HSLU’s activities. The objective of these projects is often to develop patents or commercial products. Open Access is not applicable to this kind of content. However, for projects whose results can be published, the HSLU encourages its employees to do so open access with the consent of all partners involved. Funding for these publications can be obtained through the HSLU’s open access promotion scheme.
Open Access projects
Soap2 (Shared Open Access Publishing Platform, finished:
The aim of the project is to provide a professional platform for the employees of the contributing universities (of whom the HSLU is one) to run and publish an open-access magazine. The services provided include assigning DOI and ISSN as well as guidance and support along the entire process of founding/migrating an open-access magazine or journal.
Project website: soap2.ch
GOAL: Green (Unlocking the Green Open Access Potential):
The objective of the project is to secure favourable conditions for secondary publication with journals or publishers relevant to universities of applied sciences in Switzerland.
Project website: opengoal.ch
OA-EASI (finished):
Open Access for Educational and Applied Sciences
project website: oa-easi.ch
Services for HSLU employees
Together, the specialist unit for open access, the HSLU’s libraries, the Lucerne Central and University Library (ZHB), and HED Research support HSLU employees in implementing Open Access through the following measures:
- Information events, advice and workshops around Open Access and publishing
- Financial support for Gold OA publications (articles and book publications)
- Provision of the LORY (Lucerne Open Repository), the HSLU’s institutional repository
- Support for the founding of open access working paper series and journals.
Further information for employees: Open Science (internal link on Inside).
