Introduction

In a groundbreaking move for the academic community, the Company of Biologists has announced the renewal of its Read & Publish Open Access agreement with the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL). This renewed agreement is set to run throughout 2025, offering incredible benefits to researchers based in Australia and New Zealand.

Benefits of the Agreement

Under this agreement, corresponding authors at participating institutions can publish an unlimited number of research articles immediately as Open Access (OA). This applies to both the hybrid journals—such as Development, Journal of Cell Science, and Journal of Experimental Biology—as well as fully Open Access journals like Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open. Best of all, researchers can do this without incurring any article processing charges (APC).

Moreover, researchers associated with these institutions will gain unlimited access to not only the current issues of these hybrid journals but also the entire archives, which date back to 1853—an invaluable resource for anyone tracing the development of scientific knowledge over the last century and a half.

Statements from Officials

Dr. Arthur Smith, Associate Director for Content Procurement at CAUL, expressed his enthusiasm for the renewal: "We are thrilled to continue our Read & Publish Open Access agreement with The Company of Biologists. These uncapped agreements offer certainty for authors regarding Open Access publishing, simplify processes for libraries, and symbolize a strong partnership between libraries and publishers. At CAUL, we are dedicated to advancing scholarly communication, and agreements like these are crucial for fulfilling the promise of Open Access."

Adding to the excitement, Rich Blount, Regional Sales Manager at The Company of Biologists, stated, "We are delighted to reaffirm our collaboration with CAUL, allowing researchers in Australia and New Zealand to publish an unrestricted number of research articles across all our journals without the burden of APCs. We greatly value our partnership with CAUL and remain committed to supporting the library community at large."

Conclusion

This renewed agreement marks a significant step forward in making research more accessible and open to the public, empowering researchers to share their findings without financial constraints. It's a win-win situation for both authors and the library community, and it underscores a robust commitment to the future of academic publishing!

Stay tuned for more updates on how this agreement evolves and impacts scholarly communication in Australia and New Zealand!