Open Access
What's Open Access?
What's Open Access?
Two models to make your articles open access
Mandating immediate Open Access (OA) to research outputs
As an institution open to the public, Kyushu University shall freely disclose its research results. It shall endeavour to establish an international foothold promoting exchange programs of researchers and linkage with other institutions and enterprises as well as actively dispatching information to the world. (Kyushu University Research Charter, Article 4)
What's Open Access?
"Open access" means free availability of peer-reviewed scholarly research on the public internet.
Significance of open access：
- Promote equal access to academic information across disparities
- Sharing and reuse of research results, and promote further creation of interdisciplinary research and innovation.
- The results will be returned to society and contribute to the development of human society.
Authors also benefit from making their research open access:
- Open access academic articles can be accessed free of charge from all across the world via the internet.
- More citations by peer researchers can be expected.
- Sharing research results advances and returns to society.
Kyushu University has "Kyushu University Open Access Policy"(Approved by Education and Research Council on January 19, 2016）.
Two models to make your articles open access
Gold Open Access (Open access publishing)
Submitting Open access journal. Recently, many journals provide an open access option to make your articles open access immediately after the publication.
It often costs authors an expense called an Article Processing Charge (APC). →APC discount information
Green Open Access (Self-archiving)
You can make your articles open access in an institutional repository or a preprint server.
Kyushu University Affiliates can deposit their research results in Kyushu University Institutional Repository(QIR).
Mandating immediate Open Access (OA) to research outputs
In February 2024, the Cabinet Office announced the “National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data”. Immediate Open Access (OA) to research outputs (peer-reviewed academic papers and evidence data) funded by grants such as KAKENHI will be mandatory for newly solicited projects starting in FY 2025.
- National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data
(Cabinet Office, February 16, 2024) - Measures for the Implementation of “National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data”
(Agreements of the relevant ministries and agencies, Amended on October 8, 2024) - FAQs on the National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data and Measures for the Implementation of “National Policy on Promoting Open Access to Publicly Funded Scholarly Publications and Scientific Data”
(Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, Cabinet Office, Updated on October 8, 2024) *Japanese Only
(1) Grants to Mandatory
The following grants for FY2025 calls or after will be applied.
| JSPS | Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) |
| Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) | Strategic Basic Research Programs (excluding some) |
| Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) |
Strategic Basic Research Programs |
| Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) | Fusion Oriented Research for disruptive Science and Technology |
*Even if awarded in FY2025, grants that were adopted before FY2024 are excluded.
(2) Research Outputs to Mandatory
Academic Papers
Peer-reviewed research papers (including accepted manuscripts) published in e-journals.
Evidence Data
Research data that are required to be published from perspectives of ensuring transparency and reproducibility in the journal's writing guidelines, and publication rules, such as supplemental data.
It does not include data that are not assumed to be published, and data that are required in the process of peer review.
(3) Where to publish research outputs
You are expected to publish your research outputs in your institution’s repository (Kyushu University Institutional Repository, QIR) .
Reference: How to Deposit | Kyushu University Library
You may also choose in the following media:
- Disciplinary repositories, Jxiv and repository developed by JST (provided that ones can be searched in CiNii Research)
- E-journals published by academic publishers, etc. (Gold OA. Reference: APC support information | Kyushu University Library)
You must make your achievements open to the public without embargo periods after publication in academic journals.
(4) Status report
- You are required to report the status of Open Access to each academic paper and evidence data when you submit annual results report to the funding agency.
- If you are not able to make your research outputs open access immediately, you need to declare appropriate reasons in the report.
