Pursuing the goal of cost transparency alongside openCost

Several projects in the field of open access transformation share the common goal with openCost of creating cost transparency by focussing on interrelated topics and tasks such as funding, financial sustainability, budgeting, monitoring, appropriate workflows and tools, networking, and promoting exchange. Four projects are particularly closely linked: Since 2019, open-access.network has created an information and networking platform on the topic of open access, organised workshops on the information budget, has published several resources on open access funding, and has launched focus groups to connect stakeholders and initiatives and improve their exchange. Since 2023, Transform2Open supports transformational activities at research institutions in Germany by improving and developing cost monitoring mechanisms, promoting overarching information budgets, developing international criteria, optimizing workflows, promoting financial transparency, and developing competency profiles. Close cooperation and several in-depth consultations of openCost and Transform2Open pursue especially the streamlining of data schemata and data transfer to other systems. Since 2024, OA Datenpraxis focuses on promoting and establishing processes and procedures for sovereign data practice in shaping the open access transformation by improving data-driven administration, developing standards for collaborative data practices, minimizing dependencies on commercial data sources, and improving respective information services. A recent addition, having started in 2026, the goal of OASA (Open Access Scenario Analyses) is to analyse financial development perspectives in the open access domain and to assess their potential impacts – to be realised through systematic scenario analyses, various participatory formats, the development of recommendations, and transfer activities supporting operational actions at academic institutions. The poster presents the four projects and shows their interrelations as well as future collaboration avenues with openCost and other relevant initiatives and actors.