Open access (OA) means that scientific publications are immediately after publication freely available online without any user fees. Universities and many research funders require open access because it promotes broad visibility and efficient use of research data. Transparency also improves the accessibility of publications, especially in countries with limited access to commercial databases.
In matters related to open publishing, contact tritoniaresearch@uwasa.fi.
Processing charges
Article processing charge (APC) and book processing charge (BPC) are fees which the open access publisher might charge from the author or their institution to cover various publishing costs.
In open access publishing, it is recommended to utilize the open access benefits FinELib has negotiated with scientific journal publishers. The benefits allow authors to publish their articles open access without the article processing charge or with a discounted charge. The conditions for receiving the benefits and the processes of the publishers vary. Note that not all funders allow APC or BPC charges to be paid.
The University of Vaasa has implemented a prior licence model (RRS) for scientific peer-reviewed articles as of 1 January 2026. The goal is for the author to retain all rights to the article and publish without APC or parallel publishing charges.
Choosing the publication channel
It is good to make sure that the publication channel you choose is the right one for your research. Be careful especially if the channel is unknown. The reliability of open access journals can be assessed in the same way as scientific publications. You can find helpful questions to consider in the guide Responsible research.