Skip to main content

Open Access (OA)

What Is Open Access?

{{@79#bkmrk-open-access-%28oa%29-ref}}Open Access (OA) refers to the free, immediate, online availability of research outputs such as journal articles or books, combined with the rights to use these outputs fully in the digital environment. Unlike traditional subscription-based journals, OA content is open to all readers with no access fees. Most open access publications are released under Creative Commons licenses, allowing for broader reuse and distribution while maintaining proper attribution.

{{@79#bkmrk-unlike-traditional-s}}Open access is not a fringe movement: it is the direction in which scholarly publishing is heading worldwide. Berlin itself is a birthplace of the modern OA movement — the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities (2003) remains one of the foundational documents of the global open access movement and has been signed by hundreds of research institutions. As a holder of the Open Library Badge, the Klingemann Library is committed to advancing these principles at Berlin International.

Primary

Models of Open Access

    Open

    access is commonly described using a colour system. The four models most relevant to researchers at Berlin International are summarised below.
    Comparison of the four primary open access models Model How It Works Who Pays? When Is It Open? Gold OpenOA Access:Published Researchin articlesa arefully madeopen access journal. Peer-reviewed and freely available immediatelyat uponthe publication,point oftenof withpublication. associatedOften an Article Processing ChargesCharge (APCs)APC) paid by authorsthe author, institution, or theirfunder. institutions.Many Gold OA journals, however, charge no fees at all (see Diamond OA). Immediately upon publication. Green OpenOA Access:The Authorsauthor self-archivearchives theira version of the work (preprint or accepted manuscript) in an institutional or subject-specificdisciplinary repositories,repository. makingFree itfor accessiblethe author. The article may also be published in a subscription journal. Immediately, or after an embargo period set by the publisher. Check

    policies via Sherpa/Romeo.

    BenefitsDiamond OA A special form of Gold OA: the journal charges no fees to authors or readers. Typically community-driven and non-commercial. Funded by institutions, scholarly societies, or volunteers — not by authors. Immediately upon publication. Hybrid OA Individual articles are made open access within a subscription journal, usually by paying an APC. The rest of the journal remains behind a paywall. An APC paid by the author or institution (often higher than in fully OA journals). Immediately for the paid article; the journal itself remains subscription-based.

    Visual overview: The open-access.network provides an excellent, openly licensed diagram of the gold and green pathways (based on Oberländer, 2020; Zenodo, CC BY 4.0). For a broader visual introduction, see the open-access.network's Open Access Infographic: Open vs. Closed Access (CC BY 4.0), which is freely available for download and reuse.

    A note on Hybrid OA and “double dipping”

    Hybrid journals collect subscription fees from libraries and APCs from individual authors who choose to publish open access. Critics call this “double dipping” because the publisher is paid twice for the same content. If you are considering a hybrid journal, check whether your institution or funder has a transformative agreement with the publisher that offsets the APC. In Germany, the DEAL agreements with Wiley and Springer Nature are examples of such arrangements, though Berlin International is not currently a DEAL participant.

    Why Open Access Matters at Berlin International

    Open access offers concrete advantages for researchers and students at a small, international institution:

    • IncreasedVisibility visibilityfor early-career researchers. OA publications are indexed more broadly and citationcited ratesmore forfrequently, researchers.helping faculty and graduates at a smaller university build their academic profiles.
    • BroaderThesis disseminationdiscoverability. ofWhen knowledgestudents todeposit diversetheir audiences,theses includingin practitioners,the policymakers,BI Institutional Repository, the work becomes findable worldwide, strengthening both the student's portfolio and the generaluniversity's public.research profile.
    • ComplianceEquitable withaccess. funder mandates requiring open disseminationMany of our students and partners are based in countries where institutional subscriptions are limited. OA ensures that everyone can read and build on BI research.
    Funder compliance. An increasing number of research funders, including the European Commission (Horizon Europe) and the DFG, require that publicly funded research.research be published in open access. Portfolio building for design faculty. OA repositories and platforms allow designers and architects to share visual research, project documentation, and creative work alongside traditional text publications.

    Easy Access via library's catalog

      Many

      Finding Open Access Resources

      Via the Library's Catalog

      Many open access items in our catalog can be identified by the OA symbol 32px-Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg(1).pngOpen Access logo. Thanks to enrichment data from the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), these resources link directly to the Openopen Accessaccess material,full text, ensuring immediate access without restrictions. This featureis simplifiespart of our broader commitment to openness, as recognised by the processOpen Library Badge.

      Via the Research Database Index

      The library's Research Database Index lists all research databases available to the BI community. Many of these include open access content alongside subscription resources. When searching for journal articles, try combining subscription databases with the open access discovery tools below to ensure you find the broadest range of sources.

      Open Access Discovery Tools

      CORE — Aggregates millions of open access papers from repositories and journals worldwide. Useful for cross-disciplinary searching. OpenAlex — A free, open bibliometric tool that indexes scholarly works, authors, institutions, and venues. Useful for mapping the open access landscape in your field. DOAJ — The authoritative directory of quality-controlled open access journals. Search by subject to find suitable journals in design, business, and related fields. DOAB — The equivalent directory for peer-reviewed open access books and monographs. BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine) — A powerful search engine for scholarly open access resources, with advanced filtering by document type, language, and subject. Open Access Button — Helps locate free, legal versions of research articles. If no OA resourcesversion forexists, bothit studentscan andsend faculty.an automated request to the author.

      Open Access Resources by Discipline

      The following resources are particularly relevant to the disciplines taught at Berlin International. For a full list of all databases available to the BI community, consult the Research Database Index.

      Design and Architecture
        CumInCAD — Cumulative Index of Computer Aided Architectural Design. An open access bibliographic database covering publications in the field of computer-aided design in architecture, including full-text links. DOAJ: Architecture journals — Search the DOAJ specifically for peer-reviewed open access journals in architecture and design. DOAJ: Design journals — Filtered search for design-related OA journals. Figshare — A general-purpose repository well suited for depositing design artefacts, images, portfolios, presentations, and datasets alongside traditional text outputs. Are.na — A collaborative research and bookmarking platform popular in the design community for sharing visual references and research collections.
        Business and Management
          SSRN (Social Science Research Network) — A major preprint server for the social sciences and business research. Researchers can upload working papers and preprints for immediate open access. EconBiz — A search portal for economics and business studies maintained by the ZBW (German National Library of Economics). Includes open access content and links to full texts. RePEc (Research Papers in Economics) — A decentralised database of working papers, journal articles, and software in economics and related fields, with extensive open access content. DOAJ: Business and management journals — Filtered DOAJ search for quality-assessed OA journals in business, management, and organisational studies.

          How Faculty Members Canto Publish Open Access Materials

          Publishing open access can seem complex, but therethe steps below provide a practical roadmap. Faculty members are tools and resources availableencouraged to simplifycontact the process.library Belowat isany a guidestage for facultypersonalised members on how to navigate this landscape effectively:support.

          1. Identify Suitable Journals or Publishers

          Use tools like SherpaRomeoSherpa/Romeo to check publisher policies on open access. This platform provides detailed information about copyright and self-archiving policies for thousands of journals, helping you identify where and how you can publish your work openly. You can also search the DOAJ to find quality-assessed open access journals in your discipline, and consult the Research Database Index for an overview of all databases available to the BI community.

          2. Deposit Work in Repositories

          Repositories are essential for Green OAOA. publishing.Berlin UseInternational's platformsInstitutional suchRepository as:(powered by DSpace) is now live and accepting deposits. Faculty members can deposit accepted manuscripts, preprints, working papers, and other research outputs directly. Students should consult the thesis submission guide for instructions on depositing completed theses.

          Additional repository options include:

            Zenodo — A general-purpose open repository hosted by CERN and funded by the European Commission. Accepts any research output (papers, datasets, presentations, posters, software) and assigns a DOI. re3data.org:  — A comprehensive registry of research data repositories across disciplines. InstitutionalUse repositories: Soon you will be ableit to directlyfind depositthe right repository for your OA research into Berlin International's institutional repository in addition to pre-prints of your non-OA research.datasets.
            What is the Zweitveröffentlichungsrecht (secondary publication right)?

            Under German copyright law (§ 38(4) UrhG), authors of scholarly articles resulting from publicly funded research may make the accepted manuscript version publicly available twelve months after initial publication, regardless of any exclusive rights granted to the publisher. This right applies to articles in periodical publications that appear at least twice per year, and it cannot be waived by contract. It provides a straightforward legal basis for Green OA self-archiving in the BI Institutional Repository. For further details, see the open-access.network guide on the Zweitveröffentlichungsrecht.

            3. Disseminate Your Research

            ShareAfter publication, make sure your published work widelyreaches usingthe toolswidest like:possible audience:

            • dissem.inUnpaywall: — Ensure Helpsyour identifyOA wheredeposit paywalledis articlesdiscoverable. Unpaywall harvests from repositories, so depositing in the BI repository or Zenodo means your work will be found automatically.
            ORCID — Register for a free ORCID iD to link all your publications to a single, persistent author identifier. This helps avoid confusion with other researchers who share your name. Academic social networks — Platforms such as ResearchGate or Academia.edu can beincrease legallyvisibility, sharedbut openly.uploading publisher PDFs to these platforms may violate copyright. Always check with Sherpa/Romeo first, and prefer depositing in a proper repository.

            4. Create and Share Open Educational Resources (OERs)

            Faculty members can contribute to open education by developing and sharing teaching materialsmaterials. throughPlatforms platforms like:include:

              iMooX: A platform for creating and sharing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). OER Commons:  — A resource library for finding and contributing openly licensed educational materials. twillo — A German OER portal for higher education, supported by the Stifterverband. Particularly relevant for sharing materials in the German academic context. BI LibGuide on OER — Our own guide to open educational resources.

              5. Understand

              Understanding LicensingLicensing: Options

              Creative Commons

              When publishing open access, it’sselecting crucialthe toright selectlicense anis appropriate license.essential. Creative Commons (CC) licenses are the standard in scholarly publishing. They allow you to retain copyright while specifying how others may reuse your work. All CC licenses require attribution (credit to the original author); the differences lie in what additional restrictions apply.

              Overview of the six Creative Commons licenses (version 4.0) License Commercial Use? Adaptations? Notes CC BY Yes Yes Most permissive. Recommended by the Berlin Declaration and most funders. Maximises reuse and citation potential. CC BY-SA Yes Yes, under the same license “Share Alike” ensures derivative works remain open. Used by Wikipedia. CC BY-NC No Yes Restricts commercial use. Note: the definition of “commercial” can be ambiguous (e.g., educational fee-charging institutions). CC BY)BY-NC-SA areNo widelyYes, usedunder the same license Combines non-commercial and share-alike conditions. Used by the Klingemann Library LibGuides. CC BY-ND Yes No “No Derivatives” prevents others from adapting the work. Rarely recommended for academic use. CC BY-NC-ND No No Most restrictive CC license. Limits both commercial reuse and adaptation.
              Which license should I choose?

              For maximum impact and compliance with the Berlin Declaration and most funder mandates, CC BY is recommended. It allows the broadest possible reuse while always requiring attribution. If you have specific concerns about commercial exploitation of your work, CC BY-NC is a common compromise, but be aware that it can restrict legitimate uses (e.g., a commercial educational platform redistributing your paper). The Creative Commons website provides an interactive License Chooser to ensurehelp youryou workdecide. remainsFor accessiblefurther whileguidance, protectingsee yourthe rightsopen-access.network aspage anon author.licenses.

              Recognising and Avoiding Predatory Publishers

              Predatory publishers exploit the open access model by charging publication fees without providing genuine peer review, editorial oversight, or lasting archival. Their journals may look professional at first glance, but the work they publish lacks quality assurance and may damage your academic reputation. This is a particular risk for researchers at international institutions who may receive unsolicited publication invitations in English.

              Warning Signs

                Unsolicited emails inviting you to submit, join an editorial board, or speak at a conference, especially if they are overly flattering or use a generic tone. Promises of extremely fast peer review (days, not weeks). Lack of clear information about the editorial board, peer review process, or publication fees on the journal's website. A journal title that closely imitates a well-known publication, often incorporating words like “International,” “European,” or “American.” No listing in established indexes such as the DOAJ, Scopus, or Web of Science.

                How to Check a Journal

                Tools and strategies for evaluating journals
                  Think. Check. Submit. — An industry-endorsed checklist to help researchers evaluate whether a journal is trustworthy before submitting their work. Available in multiple languages. DOAJ — Inclusion in the DOAJ is a strong quality indicator. The DOAJ applies rigorous criteria covering peer review, editorial transparency, and licensing. If a journal is listed in the DOAJ, it has been vetted. Compass to Publish — A tool from the University of Liège that lets you assess a journal's legitimacy by answering a series of questions. Ask a colleague. If you have never heard of a journal and cannot find it in standard indexes, consult colleagues in your field or contact the library.

                  For a detailed German-language checklist, see the open-access.network's guidance on predatory publishing.

                  Open Access in Berlin and Germany

                  Berlin International operates within a rich regional and national OA ecosystem. The following resources provide context and support:

                  Key resources in the Berlin and German OA landscape
                    Berlin Declaration on Open Access (2003) — The foundational statement of the global OA movement, signed by hundreds of research organisations worldwide. Originated in Berlin. Open-Access-Strategie für Berlin — The State of Berlin's strategy for promoting open access in the city's research institutions. open-access.network — Germany's central information platform on open access. Provides comprehensive guides, FAQs, a helpdesk, and training materials in German and English. Funded by the BMBF. open-access.network FAQ — Answers to common questions about licensing, self-archiving, predatory journals, and more. Berlin Universities Publishing (BerlinUP) — A non-commercial, scholar-owned OA publisher supported by the Berlin University Alliance (FU, HU, TU, Charité). Zweitveröffentlichungsrecht — Information on the German secondary publication right (§ 38(4) UrhG), which enables authors to self-archive accepted manuscripts after twelve months.

                    Support from the Library

                    The libraryKlingemann Library is here to assist you at every step of the open access publishing process. We provide:

                    • Guidance on selecting suitable journalsOA orjournals, repositories.repositories, and licenses.
                    • Support with navigating funder mandates forand institutional policies on open access compliance.access.
                    • Instruction on using tools likesuch SherpaRomeo,as dissem.in,Sherpa/Romeo, Unpaywall, ORCID, and ImpactStory.the Research Database Index.
                    Help with depositing research outputs in the BI Institutional Repository. Advice on recognising and avoiding predatory publishers.

                    For more information or personalizedpersonalised support, please contactemail us.us or chat via Teams.

                    Back to top