Universitätsbibliothek Mainz

Johannes Gutenberg University’s Open Access Policy

Excellent research, the pursuit of knowledge, new discoveries, open-mindedness, and internationality are among the principles of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). JGU understands that the complete visibility and worldwide free availability of scientific information is a basic requirement for this.

It therefore welcomes national and international initiatives and strategies to further advance the structural change in the scientific publication system towards free and unhindered access to publicly funded scientific publications. It supports Open Access as an essential building block of open science in accordance with the Berlin Declaration and sees it as an important tool for making the research results of its scientists visible.

While respecting the constitutionally protected freedom of research and teaching and the resulting free choice of publication medium and place, as well as taking into account the different status of Open Access in the various subject cultures, JGU advocates the Open Access transformation with the following recommendations and measures:

  • It calls on its scientists to make their research results available primarily through Open Access, provided that a scientifically suitable Open Access medium is available.
  • It recommends that authors not grant publishers exclusive usage rights to their publications and exercise their secondary publication rights in accordance with the Open Access concept.
  • It calls on its scientists to work as reviewers and editors of scientific journals for the Open Access transformation.
  • It treats Open Access publications which are subject to strict quality assurance and review procedures as recognized in the respective subject areas equally when assessing scientific achievements.
  • It encourages researchers to record their publications in JGU’s research information system in order to increase the transparency and visibility of publication activity.
  • It provides funding for Open Access publications and in particular supports the conclusion of contracts that provide for the Open Access publication of research results.
  • It develops the necessary organizational framework to enable the Open Access transformation and offers scientists central publication and archiving infrastructures for first and second publications in Open Access.

Approved by the Senate of Mainz University on 18 December 2020.