The Library supports HKUST authors to publish their work open access through various types of agreements with publishers. Some of them are called Transformative Agreements (TA). Another common model is called Subscribe to Open (S2O).
Below lists a range of agreements which support OA publishing at no cost to corresponding authors affiliated to HKUST (Clear Water Bay). Be sure to submit your paper with your official HKUST email account and address in your role as corresponding author.
TA: American Society of Mechanical Engineers | Cambridge University Press | Company of Biologists | IOP Publishing | Microbiology Society | Rockefeller University Press | Royal Society | Royal Society of Chemistry | SCOAP3 | Springer Nature | Wiley
S2O: Annual Reviews | IWA Publishing
Find out more about open access (OA) and article processing charges (APC) at the Library’s guide on Author Tips as well as articles in Research Bridge.
For enquiries, please contact the Research Support team or talk with your subject librarians.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is a not-for-profit membership organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skills development across all engineering disciplines.
Applicable Journals: Browse list
Period: 2025
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
Annual Reviews
Annual Reviews is a nonprofit publisher focused on synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of science and the benefit of society, with journals that encompass a broad range of disciplines, including biomedical, life, physical, social sciences, and economics.
Applicable Journals: Browse list
Period: 2025
APC Quota: By invitation only (Under the Annual Reviews S2O model, invited authors from HKUST can publish OA in any Annual Reviews journals without any article charges.)
Guides and Useful Resources:
- About Annual Reviews S2O: Video | Infographic
- Author Resource Center
- Benefits of Annual Reviews S2O
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press (CUP) has published over 400 peer-reviewed journals, covering subjects across the humanities, social sciences, science, technology, and medicine.
Applicable Journals:
- Close to 400 titles
- Use the publisher’s OA Waiver & Discount checker tool to locate specific titles
Period: 2024 – 2026
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
- Guide for Authors
- More details about this agreement negotiated by the JULAC consortium
Company of Biologists
The Company of Biologists is a not-for-profit publishing organization dedicated to supporting and inspiring the biological and biomedical community worldwide.
Applicable Journals:
- Fully OA: Biology Open | Disease Models & Mechanisms
- Hybrid: Development | Journal of Cell Science | Journal of Experimental Biology
Article Types: Specific article types such as Reviews, Commentaries, Correspondence, At a Glance, or Hypothesis are excluded from this agreement.
Period: 2023 – 2025
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
IOP Publishing
IOP Publishing is a society-owned scientific publisher of academic journals, books, and conference proceedings in the fields of physics, materials science, and related areas of science and technology.
Applicable Journals: List A to D
Period: 2024 – 2026
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
IWA Publishing
IWA Publishing is a leading international publisher specializing in water, wastewater, and environmental topics, offering 19 peer-reviewed journals and various resources. All journals are free for everyone to access through a S2O model, with no publishing fees for subscribing institutions.
Applicable Journal: Water Science & Technology
Period: 2025
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
Microbiology Society
The Microbiology Society is one of the largest microbiology societies in Europe dedicated to developing microbiological expertise.
Applicable Journals:
- Fully OA: Access Microbiology | Microbial Genomics | Microbiology
- Hybrid: International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology | Journal of General Virology | Journal of Medical Microbiology
Period: 2023 – 2025
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
- Guide for Authors
- More information about submission and peer review
Rockefeller University Press
Rockefeller University Press (RUP) is a non-profit academic publisher that specializes in biomedical research. The publisher is closely affiliated with the Rockefeller University, a leading biomedical research institute.
Applicable Journals:
- Journal of Cell Biology (JCB)
- Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM)
- Journal of General Physiology (JGP)
Period: 2024 – 2026
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
Royal Society
The Royal Society is the UK’s national science academy and a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists.
Applicable Journals:
- Fully OA: Open Biology | Royal Society Open Science
- Hybrid: Biology Letters | Interface Focus | Journal of the Royal Society Interface | Notes and Records of the Royal Society | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B | Proceedings of the Royal Society A | Proceedings of the Royal Society B
Period: 2025 – 2027
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
- Read & Publish for Authors
- Open Access Guidelines
- Guidance for early career researchers on journals publishing
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a UK-based organization that aims to advance the chemical sciences through publications, educational programs, and public engagement activities.
Applicable Journals: Browse list (hybrid only)
Period: 2025 – 2027
APC Quota: Limited
Guides and Useful Resources:
SCOAP3
SCOAP3 is a partnership that converts key journals in the field of high-energy physics to open access at no cost to authors. HKUST Library, as a member of JULAC Consortium, is covered by the partnership.
When HKUST authors publish at SCOAP3 journals, the articles will be automatically open access. Authors can retain the copyright of the article. No action is required at the authors’ side.
Applicable Journals: Browse list
Period: 2014 – Current
APC Quota: Unlimited
Guides and Useful Resources:
- Submission process is detailed in each journal’s “Author guidelines” section on the SCOAP3 journals page
Springer Nature
Springer Nature is a global publishing company that focuses on academic and scientific research content. The company has a strong emphasis on open access service, making research accessible to everyone.
Applicable Journals: More than 1900 hybrid journals (Nature and BioMed Central journals are not included)
Period: 2024 – 2026
APC Quota: Limited
Guides and Useful Resources:
- Information for authors at eligible JULAC institutions
- JULAC Transformative Agreement with Springer Nature – A Guide for Authors
- Author Workshop on January 17, 2024 (View Recording | Download Workflow for Authors)
Wiley
Wiley is a global publishing company that specializes in academic and instructional materials in areas such as science, technology, medicine, and social sciences.
Applicable Journals: More than 1900 hybrid and OA journals (hybrid list and fully OA list)
Period: 2024 – 2025
APC Quota: Limited
Guides and Useful Resources:
- Guide for authors at eligible JULAC institutions
- Guide to publishing in a Wiley hybrid journal
- Guide to publishing in a Wiley fully open access journal
- Guide to submitting a manuscript to a Hindawi fully open access journal
- Author Workshop on January 24, 2024 (Register to view Recording | Download Presentation Slides)
last modified 02 January 2025