Agreement grants partner countries full or partial relief until end 2022
A group based in Lithuania that aims to empower developing country libraries has negotiated article-processing charge (APC) waivers for a number of African countries for World Scientific’s 111 journals.
Electronic Information for Libraries announced the agreement on 7 October. Universities in partner countries are eligible for full or partial APC waivers until the end of 2022.
Researchers in Botswana, the Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are eligible for full waivers.
Ethiopia is eligible for a 70 per cent APC discount.
A recent study found that high APCs keep African researchers out of top journals, and that researchers often have to resort to paying from their own pockets. APCs on average cost between US$1,250 to US$2,225 per article.