Factors influencing the adoption of open access to longform publications in regional and national contexts

This report examines the factors influencing the adoption of Open Access (OA) for longform scholarly publications across diverse regional and national contexts. Drawing on a literature review, interviews, focus groups, and data modelling, the study identifies consistent patterns despite major differences in policy environments and resource levels. Longform OA is widely supported in principle but remains structurally marginal, with growth projected to remain incremental. Key barriers include weak data sources, divergent definitions, misaligned funding, uneven policy development, and entrenched prestige and reward systems. The report concludes that sustainable progress requires coordinated leadership, collective funding models, investment in open infrastructure, and reform of academic evaluation systems. It outlines practical pathways to scale longform OA as a core component of a more inclusive scholarly communication ecosystem.

The report was commissioned by the Knowledge Equity Network and the University of Leeds (UK), in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University (Philippines), the University of Auckland (New Zealand), Copim (UK), Universität Hamburg (Germany), Universidad Nacional del Sur (Argentina), the University of Nairobi (Kenya), the University of Pretoria (South Africa), the University of Salford (UK), Singapore Management University (Singapore), Université de Sousse (Tunisia), VU Amsterdam (Netherlands), and White Rose University Press (UK).