Publication Fund for Monographs

The publication fund for monographs and edited volumes enables the funding or partial funding of publication fees (Book Processing Charges, BPCs) for unpublished open access monographs and edited volumes.

The publication fund was established with budgetary funds from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and is administered by the University Library. Applications are processed and approved in the order in which they are received until the funds are exhausted. The decision on funding and the respective funding amount is the responsibility of the University Library.

Funding conditions

General

• The publication fund provides funding for hitherto unpublished open access monographs and edited volumes (initial publications) up to a specified maximum funding amount.
• Eligible to apply are members of Humboldt-Universität and former members of Humboldt-Universität, if the work on which the publication is based was mainly carried out during the period of membership at Humboldt-Universität. Membership to Humboldt-Universität is defined in accordance with section 43 of the Berlin Higher Education Act (Berliner Hochschulgesetz).
• At the latest, an application should be submitted as soon as negotiations with a publisher are initiated.
• Funding is limited to one publication per person per year.
• Doctoral dissertations submitted at Humboldt-Universität can be funded on a pro-rata basis if they have been graded summa cum laude or magna cum laude. Bachelor's and master's theses are not eligible for sponsorship.
• In addition to the publishing by the publisher, all funded monographs and edited volumes will be deposited on the edoc-Server, the open access repository of Humboldt-Universität (more information).

Subject of funding

• Publication fees are covered up to a specified maximum funding amount. This maximum funding limit can only be exceeded in well-justified and exceptional cases.
• It is possible to combine funding with other funds. Publications that have been developed as a result of externally funded projects and for which publication funds are available for full coverage are not eligible for funding.
• The date of the application is decisive for the order of funding. The funding approval is valid for a period of 12 months. If the publication has not been published by the end of this period, a new application for funding must be submitted.
• Eligible costs are those incurred for the production of the digital version of the publication. Hence, printing charges, for example, are not eligible for funding.

Requirements to be met by the publication and the publisher

The publication and the publisher must meet the requirements specified in the Qualitätsstandards für Open-Access-Monografien und -Sammelbände by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Universitätsverlage (Working Group of the University Presses). Please see the English version for reference: Quality Standards for Open Access Books

The following requirements specify and supplement the aforementioned quality standards and must also be met:

• Funding is only granted for publications by publishers whose services and charges for open access publications are made transparent.
• The publisher should be listed as an open access publisher, for example in the Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) or as a member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA).
• Prior to publication, the publication must have undergone the usual quality assurance processes organised by the publisher within the respective discipline, for example by a committee of editors or by reviewers.
• The authors or editors transfer only non-exclusive rights to the publisher, instead of exclusive rights.
• The publication must be released under an open licence, specifically the Creative Commons licence CC BY 4.0. Exceptions are only possible in justified exceptional cases and after consultation, and may be accompanied by a reduction of the funding amount. (more information on licences)
• The affiliation of the authors or editors to Humboldt-Universität must be clearly stated in the publication. The affiliation guidelines must be complied with. In addition, it is expected that the applicants state their ORCID iD.
• The publications must contain an acknowledgement of funding from the publication fund of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
• Immediately upon publication, all parts of the funded work must be made permanently accessible in digital form, free of charge and worldwide, at no cost to readers.
• The open access version is published at the same time as or before any potential parallel print version.
• The publication is clearly and visibly labelled as an open access publication on the publisher's website. This applies equally to digital versions and a potential print version. Adequate labelling includes the free access and the open licence.
• If a print version is available, the Publisher shall offer and advertise the open access version at least equally and shall not treat it in a disadvantageous or subordinate manner; in particular, it is not allowed to advertise the open access version in a concealed manner, to place a reference to the open access version only in a concealed or inconspicuous manner, or to exclusively advertise a potential parallel print version without reference to the open access version.

The applicants, in other words the authors or editors of the publication, are responsible for ensuring that these requirements are met by the publication and the publisher, and for communicating these to the publisher.

Support and frequently asked questions

You are welcome to contact us for advice on the publication fund. Please contact the Open Access Team.

Answers to some questions concerning funding through the publication fund can be found in our FAQ.

Application

Apply for funding

Transparency

Publications supported by the publication fund so far can also be found on the edoc-Server, the open access repository of Humboldt-Universität.