Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) has come within touching distance of making all its research publicly available. In 2024, 99.6 per cent of the university’s scholarly publications were open access, meaning they can be read by anyone, anywhere, without a paywall. The milestone marks a sharp rise from 82.9 per cent in 2023. What does this milestone mean, and what does the future hold for Open Access at our university?
Behind the figures is years of work by the University Library, which supports researchers in making their publications accessible. Maria Constantin, one of the Open Access Officers at the library, plays a central role in that effort. 'Open access means that what someone has published is publicly available to everyone,' she explains. 'Especially because most research is funded with public money; it is important that anyone can read it.'
Different forms of open acces
Open access comes in different forms. Ideally, articles are published in journals that allow immediate open access, often with a licence that allows others to reuse the work. But this route can be costly, as many journals charge publication fees. When that is not possible, the library helps researchers make their work accessible through the university repository. 'When we make a copy available in our repository, that is free,' Maria says. 'It costs us time, but that’s all. It’s not perfect open access, but it’s much better than being behind a paywall. On this basis at EUR, we made previously closed articles published during 2015-2020 retroactively open access.'
The steep increase between 2023 and 2024 is largely due to closer collaboration between Erasmus University Rotterdam and Erasmus MC. Erasmus MC produces a large share of EUR’s research output, so aligning workflows has a big impact on the overall open access percentage. In 2024, the medical center fully implemented the same open access policy as the rest of the university, allowing publications to be shared more systematically. By combining expertise and workflows, thousands of articles were opened up to the public in a relatively short time.
Adrian Cohen (Head of the Medical Library and Head of Research Policy & Advice): ‘We are immensely proud that our internationally leading research is now openly accessible to the scientific community and the public. By sharing our knowledge, we unlock the potential to improve lives, strengthen global health, and inspire future discoveries. Open access empowers researchers, students, and practitioners everywhere to build upon our work. Our next challenge, and opportunity, is to help shape a publishing ecosystem that is not only open, but also affordable, sustainable, and truly equitable.’
Reaching 100 per cent, however, is unlikely. According to Maria, there are always a handful of publications that cannot be made open. 'Sometimes we simply don’t receive a copy of the article,' she says. 'And in other cases, researchers choose to opt out. That is their right. We’re talking about maybe 30 articles out of over 6,000. I think we can live with that.'
Engage with society
For the university, open access is not just about numbers. It is closely tied to public trust and social impact. 'We want engagement with society,' Maria says. 'Citizens should be able to see what we do. If you put barriers in front of knowledge, you risk losing trust.' She also points to patients and other non-academic readers who increasingly want direct access to research that affects them.
Diamond Open Access
Looking ahead, the focus will shift from growth to sustainability. With budgets under pressure, the library will be working with faculties on tailored publication strategies that balance visibility, costs and academic values. One promising route is the so-called diamond open access, where neither readers nor authors pay. 'It’s the most equitable form,' Maria says, 'but it’s not feasible for everyone yet, as such diamond journals do not exist in some disciplines.'
‘This milestone is something to be proud of: 99.6 per cent open access strengthens the public value of our research. Our next step is to keep that openness sustainable, by making smart choices in how we publish, supporting fair open access routes, and keeping academic values at the centre’, Jantine Schuit, Rector Magnificus Erasmus University Rotterdam, says.
Even so, the direction is clear. With 99.6 per cent open access now achieved, Erasmus University Rotterdam has shown that near-total openness is possible, and that making knowledge accessible is a shared responsibility across the institution.
- Related content
- Related links
- Discover more about Open Access at EUR
