“Diamond” open access (OA) is an open access business model in which no fees are charged to either authors or readers. The publication infrastructure for freely accessible first publications is provided by academic institutions or financed by professionally organised academic associations such as learned societies.
There are an estimated 29,000 journals operating worldwide under the “Diamond” OA model, almost half of which (45 percent) are based in Europe. This model is particularly popular in the humanities and social sciences (HSS), and offers advantages in terms of ensuring equal access to information. It means that, since there are no publication costs, no disadvantages are incurred to disciplines, countries, regions or institutions with limited financial resources.
The action plan sets four priorities that are in line with the DFG’s commitment to open access:
- Improve the efficiency and collaboration of “Diamond” OA journals and platforms
- Standardise and harmonise quality requirements
- Improve the skills of researchers and publishers and build a supranational non-profit capacity centre
- Optimise the sustainability of Diamond OA publication infrastructures
The DFG promotes the “Diamond” OA model in particular under its programme “Infrastructures for Scholarly Publishing”. By supporting the action plan, the aim is to strengthen the coordination of international activities geared towards demand-driven and science-led open access publishing without profit interests.
