Our best advice to answer these ....
How has this policy changed since the previous institutional open access policy?
The main differences are that a
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license will be applied to accepted manuscripts in the repository, and we will no longer have to abide by publisher-imposed embargo periods – files can be made public immediately upon publication.
What does this mean for me as an author?
The usual process of adding new research outputs to Worktribe remains the same. The library will make sure the correct license is applied to files.
Do I still need to ‘act on acceptance’ by depositing an accepted manuscript when I receive an acceptance email?
Yes. Please continue to deposit research outputs in
Worktribe, as before. When you add the file of the accepted version, the library will then make sure the CC BY license is applied.
Will this affect how or where I am able to publish?
It should have no effect. The university has notified over 100 publishers about the policy, so you don’t have to. Occasionally there will be publishers who haven’t yet been notified about the policy, in which case the accepted version will be deposited in the repository according to the publisher’s usual terms and conditions. The library will manage this process.
When does the policy start?
The policy was approved by the Research and Innovation Committee in Jan 2025, and implementation begins from 1 August 2025. It does not apply to articles and conference papers submitted before this date – only papers submitted after this date are subject to the policy.
What if my preferred publisher or co-author doesn’t agree to this?
If we have already contacted the publisher, we have the right to proceed with the policy anyway. In the rare cases when a co-author objects, there is an opt-out clause in the policy.
I’m a postgraduate student – does this policy apply to me?
Yes. The policy applies to all Edinburgh Napier University staff and postgraduate research students. Please contact
repository@napier.ac.uk if you are unsure of what to do, and the library’s repository team will help you.
How will publishing affect my ability to get a patent?
Publishing your invention before filing for a patent can prevent you from obtaining a patent, especially in regions like Europe where any public disclosure can bar you from patenting. Additionally, once published, your invention enters the public domain, allowing others to use or improve upon it without your permission. To avoid these risks, file a patent application before any public disclosure. Please contact your School’s Business Development and Relationship Manager to discuss this.
My article is being published as gold open access. Do I still need to add it to Worktribe?
Yes. If your article is being published online with a Creative Commons license anyway, perhaps as a result of one of the
open access publisher deals held by the library, please still add it to Worktribe. It's good practice to still add a copy of the accepted version at this stage, even if it will probably be replaced by the final published version when it is available.
