Edinburgh University Press launches Subscribe to Open pilot for 2024

Edinburgh University Press (EUP) is launching a Subscribe to Open (S2O) pilot in 2024 for two Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies journals, Afghanistan and the Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies.

Under the S2O model, subscribers are offered continued access to their publication through the usual renewal process. If enough choose to renew, the publication is flipped to Open Access (OA) for that year’s volume. 

Authors in participating journals can publish their articles Open Access, free of charge, eliminating the need for author processing fees (APCs) and ensuring compliance with OA mandates. 

Subscribers are also guaranteed ongoing access to the purchased volume and receive exclusive access during the subscription term to the journal’s backfile.

EUP is offering a guarantee that enables first authors at subscribing institutions to publish their articles OA, regardless of whether or not the volume itself is published OA. Library subscribers will contribute towards making the current volumes "OA in perpetuity", as well as offering support for the transition towards Open Access, without the requirement of additional administrative work.

Sarah McDonald, head of journals at EUP said: "We are excited to take the next steps in our Open Access journey and are hoping that this initial pilot will pave the way towards a larger S2O programme in future years."

In September academic publisher De Gruyter announced plans to transform its journal portfolio to Open Access by 2028 through a Subscribe to Open (S2O) programme.