Open Access refers to unrestricted and free access to quality-assured scientific information on the internet. This helps to accelerate scientific innovation processes and increase the visibility of research findings, thereby strengthening the knowledge society. The Museum für Naturkunde Berlin underlines its commitment to open science by expecting its researchers to publish their findings openly via Open Access. The ‘Open Access Publication Costs 2026–2028’ project aims to further expand a sustainable, transparent and future-proof open access infrastructure in order to create the framework conditions for open access publications.
As part of the project, the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin aims to further develop and consolidate its open access infrastructure. Building on the results of the first funding phase, during which an in-house publication fund, an initial digital reimbursement system and a precursor to more effective cost monitoring were established, the second phase focuses on the introduction of a virtual information budget for the transparent management of publication costs. The
technical foundation is a SharePoint-based workflow solution that integrates all relevant administrative processes.
The project addresses the challenges of institutional open access funding, particularly with regard to data security, standardisation and strategic management. In addition to technical implementation, the project centres on the participatory development of transparent allocation criteria. The long-term aim is to actively shape and support the open access transformation through a sustainable, efficiently established publication infrastructure.
Funded by the German Research Foundation
