RESEARCHERS

Transformative agreements and grants to publish in open access at the UPC

Transformative agreements

  • These are contracts that transform traditional journal subscription agreements between publishers and universities or consortia. These agreements allow for immediate open access publication of articles published by authors who are members of the institution that signs the agreement without paying an APC (Article Processing Charges).
  • Thus, budgets previously allocated to "pay for access" allow a gradual transition to "pay for publishing in open access". Therefore, these agreements allow a portion of what the institution's research staff publishes in a publisher's journals to be published in open access, and eventually, all of it. 
  • In case of publishing articles in co-authorship with members of other institutions and/or countries, it is recommended to consult the ESAC (Efficiency and Standards for Article Charges), global register of transformative agreements to find out which authors can benefit from transformative agreements and decide the corresponding author. 
  • In 2019, the CRUE undertook to promote the Open ScienceSubsequently, a commission from the CRUE-CSIC and university libraries have negotiated transformative multi-year agreements with the publishers Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, American Chemical Society (ACS), American Institute of Physics (AIP), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
  • La UPC has agreements with the publishing houses Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) and Public Library of Science (PLOS) individually and with the publishing house Cambridge University Press through the Consortium of University Services of Catalonia. 
  • Each publisher provides a certain number of APCs in the form of vouchers or a certain amount for publishing in immediate open access. It also determines in which journals the APCs can be used by indicating the specific journal titles. 
  • From the platform of each publisher and during the process of publishing an article, the publisher offers the author of correspondence the possibility of publishing the article in immediate open access within the conditions of the agreement between the publishing house and its institution.
  • During the process of accepting an article, when the corresponding author indicates that he/she wants to publish in open access, the publisher contacts the Library, Publications and Archives Service, which checks that all the requirements are met.
  • For articles published in 2025, the allocation criteria are as follows, inclusively:
  1. The author of the correspondence is linked to UPC at the time of submitting the article to the publisher for acceptance and publication. The link to the UPC it can be as a PDI, PTGAS, research grant or PhD student and is verified from the Identitat Digital corporate information system UPCFor these purposes, emeritus professors and staff linked to or invited to the UPC are not considered.   
  2. In the article, the affiliation of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya has been incorporated into the signature of the UPC authors according to the established guidelinesThe official name of the University is, for all purposes and in all languages: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC)
  3. The corresponding author has the ORCIDcode, this is reported in DRAC and is shown in FUTUR.
  4. The corresponding author is linked to a UPC research group as research staff UPC. This criterion does not apply to doctoral students without a contractual relationship with the UPC when they are corresponding authors of the articles. Linking to the research group UPC is verified from DRAC o FUTUR

For groups that have equal to or more than 10 PAR type 1 points for EDP (Teachers and full-time doctoral research staff):  

- American Chemical Society, Cambridge University Press i Public Library of Science: Unlimited APCs
- Springer i Wiley: 2 APCs per group
- IEEE i CSR: 1 APC per group
- AIP: they are assigned in order of arrival until the 48 APCs available for articles published by the Catalan universities participating in this agreement are exhausted: UB, UAB, UPC, UdG, URV, BC and UIB.   

For groups that have equal or more than 3 EDP and equal or more than 80 PAR type 1 points for EDP or more (both conditions): 

- American Chemical Society, Cambridge University Press i Public Library of Science: Unlimited APCs
- Springer i Wiley: 3 APC per group and editorial
- IEEE: 2 APC per group and publisher
- CSR: 1 APC per group
- AIP: they are assigned in order of arrival until the 48 APCs available for articles published by the Catalan universities participating in this agreement are exhausted: UB, UAB, UPC, UdG, URV, BC and UIB.

  • The SBPA requests a copy of the article from the corresponding author in case it cannot be accessed from the publication platform.
  • In case of publishing the article as part of a project, remember that many funding bodies require a license Creative Commons CC BY. Publishers already assign the CC by or let the author choose one.

  • APCs are assigned in order of request on each publisher's platform, until the available bonuses included in the transformative agreement with each publisher are exhausted.  

  • When no more APCs are available from a publisher, this is reported in the publisher's specific conditions section.

  • By mid-2025 A review of the APCs still available will be carried out to assess whether the allocation can be increased. initial.  

  • List of articles published by research staff UPC: 2021, 20222023 i 2024 with assigned APCs.

  • APCs assigned in 2025 by research groups from Wiley publishers, Springer, IEEE and RSC. Information from unlimited APCs (ACS, CUP, Elsevier and PLoS) is not included. It is marked in red when the research group has exhausted the available APCs. Latest update: 2025-05-13.

In case of publishing articles in co-authorship with members of other institutions and/or countries, it is recommended to consult the ESAC (Efficiency and Standards for Article Charges), global registry of transformative agreements to assign the role of corresponding author.

Wiley

  • In magazines journals: are traditional journals that offer authors the possibility of making their individual articles freely accessible to everyone in exchange for the payment of an APC. Other articles in the same journal can only be accessed by subscription (Source: MIT). The APC is requested once the article has been accepted for publication. 
  • In magazines that have become gold. The APC is requested at the time of sending the article to the publisher, before starting the peer-review.
  • Agreement for the period 2025-2028 for original research articles or reviews (primary research or review articles). Letters or editorials are not included in the agreement.
  • List of titles of hybrid hybrids and gold where to publish.
  • During the months of May-June there will be the possibility of opening articles published in closed form from January 1 to April 23, 2025. 
  • Summary sheet [pending update] of thetransformative agreement with Wiley.
  • Search of journals from the publishing house Wiley
  • More information 
  • Contact address with the publisher for authors: cs-openaccess@wiley.com

 

  • By 2025 the UPC It has 32 APCs, 30 for hybrid magazines and 2 for gold. 
  • Allocation of Wiley APCs by Research Groups UPC:

    • Groups that have equal to or more than 10 PAR type 1 points for EDP (Teachers and full-time doctoral research staff): 2 APC.
    • Groups that have equal to or more than 3 EDPs and equal to or more than 80 PAR type 1 points per EDP (both conditions): 3 APCs.

 

You can consult the following resources: 

 

  • On May 21, 2025, Wiley began the retroconversion campaign for articles published in closed access in hybrid journals since January 1. 
  • Corresponding authors were contacted by the publisher to notify them of their eligibility to open the articles. They were sent instructions to proceed. 
  • In case of doubts in the process, authors should contact accountdashboardsupport@wiley.com indicating the following information: title of the journal and article, DOI, corresponding author, email and institution. 

    

Elsevier

  • En hybrid journals (these are traditional journals that offer authors the ability to make their individual articles open to everyone in exchange for paying an APC. Other articles in the same journal are accessible only by subscription (Source: MIT)).
  • Relation of hybrid magazine titles of Elsevier where to publish in open access. 
  • More information of the'transformative agreement with this publisher. 
  • Publisher contact address for authors: support@elsevier.com
  • In the transformative agreement with Elsevier, the UPC has an unlimited number of APCs.

 

You can consult the following resource: 

  • During the month of May, Elsevier has initiated the retroconversion campaign for articles published in closed form in hybrid journals from January 1 to the beginning of April. 
  • Corresponding authors are contacted frominfo.biblioteques@upc.edu to notify eligibility to open the items. They are sent instructions on how to proceed. 
  • If in doubt, contact info.biblioteques@upc.edu indicating the following information: title of the journal and article, DOI, corresponding author and email.

Springer

  • En hybrid journals (These are traditional journals that offer authors the possibility of making their individual articles freely accessible to everyone in exchange for the payment of an APC. Other articles in the same journal can only be accessed by subscription. Source: MIT) and in journals that have become gold.
  • They are included Review Papers. 
  • They are not included els brief communication, els Continuing education nor the magazines Nature.
  • List of hybrid  Springer journals where to publish in open access.
  • Summary sheet of the agreement with this publisher.
  • More info of the editorial on the transformative agreement.
  • More information 
  • Publisher contact address for authors: oa.verification@springernature.com

 

  • In the transformative agreement with Springer, the UPC initially has 52 APCs for 2025. APCs can be ordered.
  • This publisher does not contemplate retropublication of articles. 
  • Agreement in force until 2028 inclusive, renewable for 2 more years. 

  • Allocation of APC from Springer by research groups UPC:
  • Groups that have equal to or more than 10 PAR type 1 points for EDP (Teachers and full-time doctoral research staff): 2 APC.
  • Groups that have equal to or more than 3 EDPs and equal to or more than 80 PAR type 1 points per EDP (both conditions): 3 APCs.

You can consult the following resources: 

 

American Chemical Society (ACS)

  • The agreement is to publish in hybrid journals (they are traditional journals that offer authors the possibility of making their individual articles freely accessible to everyone in exchange for paying an APC. Other articles in the same journal can only be accessed by subscription (Source: MIT)) and in journals gold, except the ACS Omega magazine.
  • List of journal titles of American Chemical Society where to publish in open access.
  • Summary sheet of the'transformative agreement with this publisher.
  • More information.

 

 

  • In the transformational agreement with the American Chemical Society, the UPC has an unlimited number of APCs.
  • The agreement has been closed but APCs cannot yet be used until the contract is formalized. 
  • Authors can publish in closed form. Once the agreement is finalized, the articles can be republished and opened. 

You can consult the following resources: 

American Institute of Physics (AIP)

  • In hybrid journals (these are traditional journals that offer authors the possibility to make their individual articles freely accessible to everyone in exchange for paying an APC. Other articles in the same journal are only accessible by subscription. Source: MIT ).
  • List of magazines of AIP to publish in open access.
  • Summary sheet of the agreement with this publisher.
  • 48 APCs are available for the Catalan universities UB, UAB, UPC, UdG, URV and UIB
  • Agreement in force until 2025 inclusive. 
  • In order of arrival, an APC is assigned to groups that have equal to or more than 10 PAR type 1 points for EDP (Teaching staff and full-time doctoral research staff).

You can consult the following resources: 

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

  • In all the hybrid journals from IEEE Electronic Library (IEL) and IEEE All-Society Periodicals Package (ASPP). Hybrid journals are traditional journals that offer authors the possibility to make their individual articles freely accessible to everyone in exchange for payment of an APC. Other articles in the same journal can only be accessed by subscription (Source: MIT)
  • Journals, transactions and magazines are included. List of hybrid included in the agreement. 
  • APC's do not include excess pages or color.
  • The agreement with IEEE also includes a 20% discount on the price to be paid for open publishing in all its gold magazines (all articles in open access) after verifying that the corresponding author is a research staff UPC. 
  • To benefit from an APC from this publisher, the corresponding author must contact the using journal always email @upc.edu. 
  • For any questions, contact info.biblioteques@upc.edu
  • For gold journals, the corresponding author must accept the open publishing agreement or OA agreement at the time of submitting the article to the journal for review/acceptance. In the case of hybrid journals, this process takes place when the article has been accepted. 
  • Publisher contact address: onlinesupport@ieee.org
  • More info about the agreement
  • Month informació
  • In the transformative agreement with IEEE, the UPC initially has 98 APCs for 2025.
  • Agreement in force until 2025 inclusive.
  • APCs are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to groups that have:     
    • equal to or more than 10 PAR type 1 points for EDP (Teachers and full-time doctoral research staff): 1 APC for GR
    • equal or more than 3 EDP and equal or more than 80 PAR type 1 points for EDP (both conditions): 2 APC for GR
  • Currently, APCs are still available. In the event that they run out before the end of the year, this section will be reported.
     

You can consult the following resources: 

  • IEEE Audit and Open Access Symposium: How to publish under the CRUE Spain Open Access agreement with IEEE (2024-04-2024)

Royal Society of Chemistry (CSR)

  • The agreement allows publishing in all hybrid journals and the magazines gold except Chemical Science.
  • See the list of magazines here
  • In the transformative agreement with RSC, the UPC initially has 10 APCs for 2025.
  • Agreement in force until 2025 inclusive.
  • In order of arrival, an APC is assigned to groups that have equal to or more than 10 PAR type 1 points for EDP (Teaching staff and full-time doctoral research staff).
  • More information about the agreement 
  • Currently, APCs are still available. In the event that they run out before the end of the year, this section will be reported.

You can consult the following resources: 

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

  • En hybrid magazines in a gold magazines.
  • See the list of magazines here 
  • Unlimited number of APCs

  • It is necessary that the author be the corresponding author and sign with affiliation UPC

  • Sessions of academics i publication portal by authors

  • More information about the agreement

In the transformative agreement with Cambridge University Press, the UPC has an unlimited number of APCs.

International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE)

  • To all hybrid edited by SPIE
  • It is necessary that the author be the corresponding author and sign with affiliation UPC
  • This agreement does not allow you to enjoy an APC with the proceedings
  • Unlimited number of APCs
  • More information within each magazine

In the transformative agreement with SPIE, the UPC has an unlimited number of APCs.

Public Library of Science (PLOS)

In the transformative agreement with PLOS, the UPC has an unlimited number of APCs.

Other grants for open publishing in the UPC

From April 2024, all researchers involved in projects or grants funded by the European Commission can publish their research results in ORE.

Articles are accepted from the following subject areas: natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical sciences, agricultural and veterinary sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts.

 

At the end of 2020 the European Commission (EC) launched the Open Research Europe publication platform, after signing an agreement with F1000 Research

Articles can be published in immediate open access without paying Article Processing Charges. The publication costs, valued at €780 per article, are assumed by the EC.  

Keep in mind: 

  • the use of the platform is not mandatory
  • the article review model is "open peer-review" 
  • the platform does not include qualitative indicators
  • articles must present results of EC-funded research projects
  • at least one of the co-authors must be linked to an ongoing or completed European project
  • the dataset(s) that support the results presented in the article must be published openly
  • from July 2022, Scopus indexes Open Research Europe.

 

More information: 

For any questions, contact info.bibliotequesArrovaupc.edu

The research staff of the UPC has a 10% discount for publishing articles in open access in journals of the publishing house Frontiers when they are corresponding authors. 

  • The discount is requested when sending the article to the publisher, before starting the peer-review.
  • Proof of affiliation UPC. It can be done using the @upc.edu email.
  • When the article has been accepted for publication, the publisher issues the invoice with the discount applied, an invoice that is paid with a budget (project, unit or group) managed by the UPC.
  • list of titles of journals from the publishing house by 2024.
  • Month informació about the agreement 
  • Publisher contact address for authors: institutions@frontiersin.org

SCOAP3 (Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics) is an international project led by CERN whose objective is to open prestigious journals of high-energy physics open access at no cost to the authors. 

The cost of publishing is assumed by each participating country in proportion to its scientific output. The articles are published in SCOAP3 and in the publishers' websites.

More info on what to do to publish in SCOAP journals.

The magazines included are:

From June 1, 2024, the research staff of the UPC has a 25% discount for publishing open access articles in the publisher's journals The Royal Society

  • Proof of affiliation UPC using the institutional email andID Ringgold of the UPC which is the following: 16767 
  • When the article has been accepted for publication, the publisher issues the invoice with the applied discount which is paid with a budget (project, unit or group) managed by the UPC.
  • list of titles  where to post
  • Publisher contact address for authors: oam@royalsociety.org

 

 

 

The members of the UPC they have a 30% discount for publishing articles in open access in Bentham Science publishing journals when they are corresponding authors and at the time of acceptance of the publication.

  • The discount is applicable to all subscription journals, open access journals and books published with the publisher.
  • See the list of magazines here.
  • Guide by the authors
  • More information about the aid 

At UPCommons you can check all the articles in the open access journals published by different units of the UPC. For the editing and publication process some of them use the journal service of the UPC and the Open Journal System (OJS) software.

All of them are polytechnical and some are indexed in the most prestigious international indexes, such as:


Last update: 04 / 06 / 2025