Open access and travel support

Versus Arthritis is the charity dedicated to stopping the devastating impact that arthritis has on people’s lives. We are committed to ensuring the knowledge and discoveries which result from our research are available freely and immediately for the benefit of all. Right now, this is needed more than ever as we witness what a difference research can make to people’s lives.

Open access is an important means of achieving this as it enables everyone to access information that could benefit them, including people affected by arthritis and related conditions, researchers, or supporters. We are committed to working towards a sustainable future for immediate, open research.

Open access options and costs

Wherever possible we expect our researchers to choose a journal to publish in that ensures the work is available immediately on publication. To comply with Versus Arthritis policy, authors should choose one of the two following options:

• Self-archiving your publication in Europe PubMed Central (Europe PMC) within six months of publication (a charge-free option, commonly referred to as ‘Green’ publishing); or
• publishing in an open access journal, which usually requires the payment of an article processing charge (APC) (this is commonly referred to as ‘Gold’ publishing).

We are keen to support the most effective means to ensure your article is open to everyone. Versus Arthritis does have a limited budget to pay reasonable costs but we ask that you consider all options.

• Authors requiring support to publish articles resulting from work funded by Versus Arthritis should apply directly to us via Grant Tracker (https://gt.versusarthritis.org/login) if their host institution or another funder cannot meet the costs of APCs.
• Whilst we will endeavour to support all valid open access applications, the current economic climate may require greater scrutiny of requests and a discussion of all available options.

Versus Arthritis policy

We strongly recommend authors select publishing routes that ensure the work is freely available immediately on publication.

• Where APCs are paid by Versus Arthritis, authors and publishers must licence papers using the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC-BY. This is so they may be freely copied and re-used (e.g. for text and data mining purposes), providing such uses are fully attributed.
• Any articles accepted for publication that are wholly or partially funded by Versus Arthritis must be deposited in Europe PMC as soon as possible and no later than six months after publication.
• Whilst there is no time limit on requests for open access support beyond the end date of an award, applications will be assessed for relevance to the award.

What type of publications does the policy apply to?

• Our open access policy applies to original research papers submitted for publication.
• Funding is available for original research papers only.
• Versus Arthritis does not cover additional page charges or colour plate charges.
• Our open access policy does not extend to editorials, letters, commissioned reviews, non-commissioned reviews, scholarly monographs, conference proceedings or book chapters.

When applying to us for support

• The PI or Staff member must be the Author or mentioned on the paper.
• The paper must acknowledge Versus Arthritis as funder.
• The Versus Arthritis grant number must be accurately cited on the paper.
• The proposed publisher must support Open Access.
• Applicants must confirm in their application that they have approached their institution and any other applicable parties for Open Access funding support prior to making their application to Versus Arthritis.
• For publications arising from co-funded awards, our expectation is that the other funder(s) contribute equitably to support APC costs.

Further information

Guidance to support researchers in complying with this policy can be found in our step by step guide to making your paper open access (PDF, 203 KB).

We are keen to promote your work to our wide range of audiences to show the difference research is making. Please always let us know about your publications, irrespective of whether funding to publish is needed.

Travel support enables award holders, or other research staff employed on Versus Arthritis funded awards, to attend prestigious or relevant national or international scientific meetings in order to present Versus Arthritis supported work.

The amount allotted for travel is a pro rata sum of £750 per year across all eligible categories of our awards*, **

For all awards, the allotted travel support sum can be used flexibly to permit the use of a larger portion of the total travel support funds at any point during the lifetime of the award. Applications will be accepted for meetings held up to 24 months after the end date of an award.

*Programme grants awarded prior to 31 December 2016 retain the budget limits detailed in their special conditions of award.

**Centre Awards have no provision for additional travel support funding, as per their conditions of award.

How to apply for travel support?

Applications for travel support may be made at any time via Grant Tracker, through the award that you are presenting the work from.

Any application must be submitted at least one month before the date of the meeting and include an abstract of the work to be presented.

Applications for travel support where the attendee is not presenting will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and will require discussion with the charity prior to submitting the request. Please contact the research team to discuss this at research@versusarthritis.org.

All costs relating to the travel will be reimbursed after the meeting on receipt of an expenses claim form and a completed post meeting report form.