The Company of Biologists has announced the renewal of its Read & Publish Open Access agreement with Jisc, the UK’s leading digital and technology agency for education, research, and innovation. The extended partnership, effective from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026, underscores a continued commitment to advancing Open Access (OA) publishing and supporting researchers across the UK.
Supporting Researchers and Open-Access Publishing
The renewed agreement allows corresponding authors from participating institutions to publish an unlimited number of Open-Access research articles without paying article processing charges (APCs). This applies to The Company of Biologists’ three hybrid journals (Development, Journal of Cell Science, and Journal of Experimental Biology) and its two fully Open-Access journals (Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open).
In addition, researchers and institutions will enjoy unlimited access to the full archives of these hybrid journals, which date back as far as 1853, ensuring seamless access to a wealth of biological literature.
Facilitating the Transition to Open-Access
Anna Vernon, Head of Research Portfolio at Jisc, praised the partnership:
“We are pleased to renew our agreement with The Company of Biologists. As well as providing access to the latest biological literature for UK universities and supporting cutting-edge research, it will also continue to facilitate the transition to Open Access for UK research and the publisher.”
Rich Blount, Regional Sales Manager at The Company of Biologists, highlighted the agreement’s success:
“The number of participants in the consortium has grown year-on-year, so we are delighted the continuation of this groundwork will support researchers publishing their work through Open Access, fee free, via our highly popular Read & Publish initiative.”
A Global Commitment to Open-Access
As a not-for-profit publisher, The Company of Biologists is dedicated to inspiring and supporting the biological research community. Through its transformative Read & Publish initiative, more than 900 institutions across 52 countries participate in cost-neutral Open-Access publishing agreements, ensuring equitable access and opportunities for researchers worldwide.
The Company of Biologists was also the first not-for-profit publisher to adopt the Transformative Journal approach and to receive Transformative Journal status from Plan S, further solidifying its leadership in the open-access movement.
About Jisc and The Company of Biologists
Jisc is at the forefront of leveraging technology to enhance education and research in the UK, providing innovative solutions and negotiating sector-wide deals to benefit institutions. It is funded by the UK higher and further education and research funding bodies.
The Company of Biologists is a mission-driven organization committed to supporting the global biological community through its leading peer-reviewed journals, Open-Access publishing initiatives, and its bio-positive program, The Forest of Biologists.