Open Science Policies - Open Access Policy

Open access is the publication of a book, book chapter or monograph on publisher websites, platforms or repositories, accessible via the Internet, free of charge and without content restrictions for those who access it and, ideally, without the application of embargo periods. In other words, from the moment of publication or deposit, the book, book chapter or monograph is accessible to anyone who wants to consult it immediately or, if an embargo period is applied, after that period has elapsed. Open access also implies the possibility of reusing the content of publications. Reuse must be subject to correct attribution of authorship and origin.

Publishing in open access allows the results of research to be disseminated very widely, thus contributing to the dissemination of access to scientific knowledge, to increased visibility of scientific production and of the authors [1] of books, book chapters or monographs, as well as boosting scientific cooperation and the advancement of science.

[1] Read 'of the authors'. In these FAQs, references below in the masculine gender should be understood as indicated in the present wording, with the respective adaptations, and this wording has not been adopted in the full text to make it easier to read.

In addition to the reasons mentioned in the previous point, the FCT has adopted an open access policy because it believes that research financed by public funds, such as those it grants as part of its mission to fund scientific activity in Portugal, should produce results that are in the public domain, freely accessible and reusable by all, thus enhancing scientific cooperation and the advancement of science, as well as increasing the visibility of scientific production and its authors.

All of this led the FCT to join Plan S, which advocates the open access publication of books, book chapters and monographs financed by member organizations.

Plan S is an initiative promoted by cOAlition S which aims to ensure that all publications resulting from research funded by member institutions, including FCT, are published in open access, or made available through open access repositories without embargo.

Further information can be found here: Plan S Principles | Plan S (coalition-s.org)