D6.2 "Recommendations and Implementation Guidelines for Institutions, for FSDs (Funders, Sponsors, and Donors) and Policymakers"

This report presents a comprehensive and flexible framework to support Diamond Open
Access (OA) in scholarly publishing. Developed as Deliverable 6.2 of the DIAMAS project,
funded by the European Union’s Horizon WIDERA-2021-ERA-01 research and innovation
programme, the report offers recommendations and guidelines tailored to institutions,
funders, sponsors, and donors, and policymakers.

The recommendations and guidelines have been co-designed with stakeholders
through an extensive collaborative process led by the European University Association
(EUA), Science Europe, and OPERAS between December 2023 and November 2024. This
co-design approach ensures that the proposed measures address the diverse needs,
concerns, and opportunities within the evolving Diamond OA ecosystem.

Collective responsibility and collaboration

Supporting Diamond OA is a shared responsibility among institutions, funders,
sponsors, and donors, and policymakers. While each plays a distinct role, their
coordinated efforts are essential for the long-term sustainability of this publishing
model. The report underscores the importance of collaboration, emphasising that:

● Institutions act as ‘parent organisations’ by providing staff, infrastructure, and
academic resources to maintain Diamond OA platforms and repositories.
● Funders, sponsors, and donors ensure financial sustainability through policies
and investments that enable the continued development of Diamond OA.
● Policymakers at regional, national, and EU levels create frameworks that
facilitate and incentivise Diamond OA adoption.

Pathways for supporting Diamond OA

To foster a thriving Diamond OA ecosystem, the report outlines strategic pathways for
engagement, including:

● Identify reasons and motivations to support Diamond OA and promote its
benefits
● Enhance recognition and reward systems
● Invest in the development of monitoring systems and evidence-gathering
initiatives
● Sign the Action Plan for Diamond OA
● Support local, national, and community Diamond Capacity Centres
● Engage in the European Diamond Capacity Hub
● Engage in the Global Diamond Open Access Framework

Recommendations and guidelines 

The framework aims to guide institutions, funders, sponsors, and donors, and 
policymakers in their support of Diamond OA. The report organises its 
recommendations and guidelines in separate, but related categories that reflect the 
main reasons for research actors to support Diamond OA, including: 

● Positive research cultures: Institutions, funders, sponsors, and donors, and 
policymakers share a responsibility to strengthen positive research cultures that 
reflect core values such as autonomy, freedom, care, collegiality, collaboration, 
equality, diversity, inclusion, integrity, ethics, openness, and transparency. 
● Economic and financial responsibilities: Institutions, funders, sponsors, and 
donors, and policymakers must address economic and financial responsibilities 
to ensure that scholarly publishing is sustainable and provides societal value. 
● Dynamics of authority, patronage, and legitimacy: When supporting Diamond 
OA, institutions, funders, sponsors, and donors, and policymakers must take into 
account the dynamics of authority, patronage, and legitimacy. This includes both 
top-down support and bottom-up initiatives. 

While comprehensive, the framework remains flexible, allowing different organisations 
to prioritise actions based on their unique contexts, governance structures, 
operational models, and available resources. Stakeholders, for instance, may 
implement recommendations at varied timelines, depending on national policies and 
institutional readiness. 

Conclusion:

This report serves as a foundational document for institutions, funders, sponsors, 
donors, and policymakers committed to supporting Diamond OA. By providing a 
structured yet adaptable set of recommendations and guidelines, it lays the 
groundwork for a collaborative effort to reshape scholarly publishing. The continued 
evolution of Diamond OA will require ongoing dialogue, policy alignment, and resource 
allocation to ensure its long-term success.