Principles for Open Access to Research Outputs at Melbourne


Position of University of Melbourne

  1. The University of Melbourne is committed to disseminating its research as widely as possible to improve the public good by accelerating the pace of discovery, encouraging innovation, enriching education, and stimulating the economy.
  2. Research outputs from public funding should be shared in a timely and accessible manner to foster social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits.
  3. The University supports the deposit of research outputs to repositories as a means of openly disseminating research, reflecting the investment in repository infrastructure in Australia and worldwide.
  4. The University recognises that the level of engagement with open access practices will vary according to disciplinary behaviours and norms and may be determined by a variety of factors.
  5. The University recognises that open access will not be appropriate in all circumstances, for example where disclosure obligations or restrictions apply under Intellectual Property Policy MPF1320 or under a research contract with a collaborator or funder.

Responsibilities of researchers

  1. Researchers are expected by the University to deposit the post peer reviewed and corrected version of their published research (the Author’s Accepted Manuscript) in the Institutional Repository or an accredited subject repository within three months of publication.  Deposited work can be embargoed to meet publisher requirements on making the work accessible. The University will provide guidance to determine any publisher policies related to access to the work.
  2. The University expects the bibliographic details of data (metadata) underpinning published research to be shared in an accredited repository, as appropriate and where required by funding mandates.
  3. The sharing of research data is supported by the University, while taking into consideration regulatory responsibilities, ethical, legal, cultural and other guidelines.
  4. While the University recognises there are challenges associated with making non-traditional research outputs accessible due to the variety of forms these can take and issues such as copyright, we both acknowledge and value the breadth in types of research outputs, and remain committed to making non-traditional research outputs as open and discoverable as possible and practical. Those researchers interested in exploring options for making these types of outputs accessible will be supported by the University.
  5. Researchers are encouraged by the University to share research outputs such as preprints, software, protocols and others as appropriate through disciplinary infrastructure.
  6. Researchers are encouraged by the University to share non-published research outputs (grey literature) through the Institutional Repository.

Responsibilities of University of Melbourne

  1. The University will provide guidance and systems for researchers who are bound by the requirements of their funding agreements to make research outputs open access through the deposit of works to the Institutional Repository, including requirements to manage their research data.
  2. The University will work with its research community to implement or provide the infrastructure and associated support that will be necessary to increase openness.

Last revised: 22 April 2020

PDF available in Minerva Access

More information about these principles can be found in the Open Scholarship FAQ.