EUR and Erasmus MC once again achieved nearly 100% Open Access in 2025

Open Access is now the norm

For the second consecutive year, 99.6% of academic publications authored by researchers from EUR and Erasmus MC were made freely available to readers worldwide. Maintaining this level of performance reflects the continued commitment of researchers, faculties, support staff, and the University Library to ensuring that publicly funded research can be accessed and used as widely as possible.

The sustained result confirms that Open Access has become a structural part of the research and publishing process at EUR and Erasmus MC. What was once an ambitious target has now become standard practice.

Building on a strong foundation

The high Open Access percentage is supported by a combination of approaches, including publisher agreements, green Open Access workflows, and institutional policies that enable publications to be shared through trusted repositories.

Researchers continue to benefit from support provided by the University Library throughout the publication process. From navigating publisher agreements to identifying suitable Open Access routes, the Library helps researchers maximise the visibility and accessibility of their work.

The continued success also reflects the close collaboration between researchers, faculties, research support services, and the Open Access team, all working towards the shared goal of making research outputs openly availabl

Looking ahead

In 2015, half of all publications from Erasmus University were published closed access. While the progress across the last 10 years towards 100% Open Access is a major achievement, attention is increasingly turning towards the future of scholarly communication.

Significant questions loom about the financial implications of Open Access and sustainability of publishing Open via expensive Article Processing Charges and Read and Publish deals with large publishers. 

The University Library continues to support sustainable and equitable publishing models, including Diamond Open Access initiatives that remove financial barriers for both readers and authors. Through initiatives such as the Diamond Open Access Fund and participation in national Diamond Open Access projects, EUR is contributing to a more diverse, inclusive, and sustainable publishing landscape.

In the years ahead, efforts will focus on further strengthening Open Access, considering equity, sustainability, and value for money. This will not detract from efforts to improve services, workflows, and ensuring that research outputs remain as accessible, discoverable, and impactful as possible.

Openness at EUR and Erasmus MC

Open Access is a key component of open scholarship and contributes to the visibility, accessibility, and societal impact of research. By maintaining close to 100% Open Access in 2025, EUR and Erasmus MC reaffirm their commitment to making knowledge openly available for researchers, professionals, policymakers, students, and society at large.

For more information about Open Access publishing and the support available to researchers, visit the Open Access-webpages of the Library.