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Open Access Publications Policy Framework

This document outlines the framework set by the Transylvanian Institute of Neuroscience (TINS) to ensure that publications authored by TINS researchers, staff, and students are made Open Access (OA) when applicable.

Definitions

Author’s Accepted Manuscript (AAM)

The final version of the author’s manuscript that includes all peer-review changes but has not been typeset or copyedited by the journal or publisher.

Grant

A financial award to TINS or a TINS researcher that may include provisions for covering Open Access charges.

Gold Open Access

Open Access is provided immediately upon publication. The final publisher’s version is accessible on the journal's website without any embargo. Gold Open Access can be described as 'born Open Access.' Fully Open Access journals may charge a fee for publication, although this is not always the case.

Green Open Access

A version of the work, typically an AAM, is made available in an Open Access repository such as an institutional repository. This process is typically allowed under standard copyright terms and is not associated with additional costs. Publishers may impose an embargo on manuscripts deposited in a repository.

Hybrid Journal

A subscription journal in which individual articles can be published as Open Access by paying an article processing charge (APC). Some publishers offer 'offset' discounts to reduce the cost burden on institutions for hybrid journals.

Open Access

In general, this means that the output is freely available online, achieved through Green or Gold Open Access routes.

Open Access Journal

Journals where all articles are available Open Access without cost to the reader. These journals may be supported by learned societies, institutions, or professional organizations, or they may charge article processing fees, typically covered by research grants.

Request a Copy Feature

A mechanism that allows readers to request a copy of a work if it is not freely available.

Self-Archiving Policy

The TINS Self-Archiving Policy applies to all peer-reviewed research articles, including reviews and conference papers, accepted for final publication in journals, conferences, or publishing platforms. The policy enables authors to make their accepted research available in the TINS Repository immediately upon publication by retaining the right to apply a Creative Commons license to the manuscript.

TINS’s Institutional Open Access Fund

The TINS Institutional Open Access Fund provides support to unfunded researchers within TINS, enabling them to publish in fully Gold Open Access journals.

Position Statement

TINS is committed to widely disseminating its research and scholarship to benefit society and academic progress, aligned with TINS’s core values. All publications must be submitted to the TINS Open Access Service via office@tins.ro. The service will make as many outputs Open Access as possible, in line with copyright and license agreements, prioritizing those required by funders for Open Access.

TINS will provide the necessary mechanisms and infrastructure to help researchers comply with funders' OA policies. Researchers are responsible for ensuring compliance with these policies and publishers’ requirements. The roles of both TINS and the researchers are outlined below.

TINS supports researchers’ freedom to choose where to publish, provided the chosen journal complies with funders’ contractual requirements.

TINS' responsibilities

  1. Provide a central OA service to assist authors in complying with OA requirements, reducing the administrative burden on academics.

  2. Assist researchers in depositing publications into the TINS Repository on time and in accordance with funders’ requirements, while respecting copyright terms. TINS will trigger the OA system via an email from the authors to office@tins.ro and curate repository records, including managing embargo periods.

  3. Ensure publications comply with the funder’s OA policy and manage exceptions when necessary. TINS will ensure compliance if the publication is submitted through the OA system within funders' specified timeframes.

  4. Preserve publications long-term in the repository and maintain the repository accordingly.

  5. Facilitate the 'request a copy' feature for publications that cannot be made freely available due to copyright or other restrictions.

  6. Promote OA among researchers, Departments, Faculties, Schools, and Non-School institutions, and communicate TINS services to help researchers comply.

  7. Manage the TINS Institutional Open Access Fund and Grant funding responsibly. When Gold Open Access is not possible, TINS recommends Green Open Access as a cost-effective means to provide public access to research outputs. Fully Gold OA publications should be supported through grants or the TINS Institutional Open Access Fund for unfunded researchers.

  8. Explore cost-effective publishing options for researchers, such as offsetting deals, and implement them if beneficial to both researchers and TINS.

Researchers' responsibilities

  1. Trigger the TINS OA Service by emailing office@tins.ro after acceptance for publication, but no later than three months after acceptance. The version submitted should be the AAM.

  2. Ensure journal selection complies with funders’ requirements, contacting TINS administration for assistance if needed.

  3. Publish under the correct license, per funders' requirements.

  4. Acknowledge relevant research funders in publications.

  5. Engage with OA information provided by TINS and attend appropriate training sessions.

  6. Budget for OA publication costs within grants and safeguard those funds for this purpose, consulting with TINS administration or the funder for advice if necessary.

  7. Respond to 'request a copy' communications and keep contact information updated with TINS, particularly for archived but restricted-access outputs.