Since 2015, corresponding authors affiliated with Dutch Universities, University Medical Centres and the KNAW institutes can publish Open Access in many Springer Nature journals without costs. The number of free open access articles under this consortium deal is limited to 2,080 per year. In 2023, this maximum number is expected to be reached in mid-October.
What are the consequences?
If your manuscript is accepted between the moment the cap is reached and 1st January 2024, Springer Nature will still offer to publish your article Open Access, but the costs will no longer be covered by the consortium agreement and you will receive an invoice. Authors who want to share their Springer Nature article in open access and expect the publication to be approved between October and December, are advised to contact the Open Access Team of the University Library.
The current contract will be continued in 2024, including the maximum of 2,080 open access publications. Manuscripts approved in January 2024 or later can make use of the deal until the maximum is reached.
What can you do?
Researches who want to stay informed about the status can sign up for a 'notify-me service'. This service can also be used to receive updates about other publishers with a maximum amount of open access publications.
Do you have questions or are you looking for an alternative way to publish your article open access? Please contact openaccess@vu.nl.
