REF Open Access requirements for publications to continue beyond 31st December

Stirling researchers have been working hard submitting their publications to Worktribe, the University’s research system, for the forthcoming REF 2021.  For publications to be eligible for REF 2021 they should have a publication date (or online publication date) before, or on, 31st December 2020. Publications must also comply with the REF Open Access requirements.

We’ve been waiting for the outcome of the UKRI Open Access Review to find out about publications with publication dates after 31st December.  We’ve now heard from UKRI that, due to COVID-19, the Review outcome announcement has been delayed until Spring 2021 and REF Open Access compliance requirements are continuing beyond 31st December 2020 for the period of the Review.  

So although the deadline date for publications for REF 2021 remains the same, future publications will need to keep complying with all the existing REF Open Access requirements.

Therefore, please continue to submit your publication details and full-text PDFs to Worktribe: in the University Portal, choose ‘Access Worktribe (Research System)’ in the ‘I want to’ panel (bottom right).

Clare Allan
Senior Research Librarian