DIAMOND OPEN ACCESS RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR INSTITUTIONS, FUNDERS, SPONSORS, DONORS, AND POLICYMAKERS.

This report presents a comprehensive and flexible framework to support Diamond Open Access (OA) in scholarly publishing. It offers recommendations and guidelines tailored to institutions, funders, sponsors, donors, and policymakers, and addresses 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, 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 coordinated collaboration, emphasising that:

• Institutions act as ‘parent organisations’ by providing staff, infrastructure, and academic resources to maintain Diamond OA journals, platforms, and repositories.
• Funders, sponsors, and donors ensure financial sustainability through policies and investments that enable the continued maintenance and 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, recommending the following concrete actions:

• Identify reasons and motivations to support Diamond OA and promote its benefits
• Enhance recognition and reward systems for Diamond OA authors, editors, and staff
• 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, this framework remains flexible, allowing different organisations to prioritise actions based on their unique contexts, governance structures, operational models, and available resources. Stakeholders may implement recommendations at varied timelines, depending on national policies and institutional readiness.

Conclusion

This set of recommendations and guidelines 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.