Open Access is the free, immediate, online availability of research articles combined with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment. Open Access seeks unrestricted access and unrestricted use of scholarly research and literature to spread knowledge and allow that knowledge to be built upon. We engage and invest in research in order to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, encourage innovation, enrich education, and stimulate the economy — to improve the public good. Communication of the results of research is an essential component of the research process; research can only advance by sharing the results, and the value of an investment in research is only maximized through wide use of its results. The more people that can access and build upon the latest research, the more valuable that research becomes and the more likely people will be able to benefit from it.
Open Access publishing for Aston authors: OA publishing explained – Aston University
