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Open Access

What is Open Access?

Open Access (OA) is the free, immediate, online availability of research articles combined with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment*. Users are allowed to download, copy, reuse and distribute data provided the original article is fully cited. By publishing Open Access, it maximises the visibility and impact of research outputs. 

*SPARC Europe. (2017, March 4). What is open access? Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://sparceurope.org/what-we-do/open-access/what-is-open-access/

Open Access publishing is in contrast to traditional publishing, which locked up all published content behind a paywall and allows only those with paid subscription to read the content.

Funded Research and Open Access requirements

As the majority of researchers and universities are publicly funded, research outputs are increasingly expected to be made openly accessible. See the section "RGC requirements" to learn Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC)'s requirements on Open Access.

How to publish Open Access

You can make a publication available as Open Access in different ways. Learn the different routes of OA here.

Learn OA via YouTube

Open Access Explained!; by Piled Higher and Deeper What is Open Access?; by SHB Online

OA Benefits at a Glance