After extensive negotiations between the UK Universities and Elsevier, facilitated by JISC, a three year (2022-24) open access transitional agreement has been achieved which will maintain read access and allows for unlimited publishing in core hybrid Science Direct, Cell Press and Lancet titles.

Elsevier is the largest academic publisher, and is the one with whom UK universities currently spend the largest amount on journal subscriptions. Elsevier journals account for around 25% of all UK research outputs, and until now, has been the only major publisher with whom Jisc did not have an agreement covering open access.

The new agreement will see a 15% reduction on subscription spend in the 2022 year, and will remove expenditure on open access publishing charges in hybrid Elsevier journals. The agreement enables unlimited and immediate open access publishing in Elsevier’s subscription journals, including the Lancet and Cell Press titles. There is also provision for a 15% reduction and price cap on publishing in Elsevier’s fully open access journals. The agreement complies with funders’ policies, including those of the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, and the new UKRI policy.

Noting that this is a transitional agreement in the move towards fully Open Access publishing, going forward, JISC and the UK Universities will continue to monitor expenditure with Elsevier, global and UK publishing data. In the third year of the new agreement there will be a review process to evaluate and renegotiate terms.

JISC, the Universities and Elsevier are currently working together to ensure that OA publishing is as simple for authors and institutions as possible, and an improvement on the current workflows.

Further information on the agreement can be found from Elsevier and  Jisc.

Key points

• Access to all currently subscribed Elsevier journals is maintained, at a reduced cost to the University.
• Open Access publication in all hybrid Elsevier journals, plus all hybrid Cell Press and Lancet titles included in total cost.
• 15% discount on publishing in Elsevier’s ‘Gold’ Open Access journals (more than 550 titles)
• Ensures compliance with major funders’ requirements, including Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research Uk, British Heart Foundation and UKRI Councils