More than 60% of the publications from the University of Vigo (UVigo) indexed in the Web of Science are available in open access, according to a recent report. This figure, specifically 60.94%, reflects the institution's commitment to making research freely accessible online.
Open access publications, which include articles, books, theses, and research data, can be read, downloaded, and shared without restrictions, provided that the original authorship is respected and properly cited. This approach aligns with the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, adopted in 2021, which aims to democratise knowledge and enhance the social impact of research.
To promote this vision, the International Open Access Week is celebrated annually, during which the Bibliometric Services Area of UVigo's University Library publishes an analysis of the university's indexed content in the Web of Science. The latest report indicates that from 2016 to 2025, 11,122 publications from UVigo are available for free, significantly contributing to the global open access movement.
The impact of these open access publications is notable, with a normalised impact factor of 1.27, meaning they receive 27% more citations than the average for similar publications in the same year and field. This is higher than the overall normalised impact of UVigo's documents during the same period, which stands at 1.09.
In terms of specific fields, Earth Sciences leads with 72.31% of its publications in open access, followed by Physics at 70.53% and Chemistry at 68.21%. The report also highlights the journals where UVigo published the most open access articles between 2016 and 2025, including Applied Sciences-Basel with 157 articles, Scientific Reports with 132, and Foods with 129.
Since 2020, the Bibliometric Services Area has been releasing this annual report in conjunction with International Open Access Week. These reports can be accessed through the Bibliometric Reports guide, which includes annual reports, thematic reports, and other publications from the library.
The theme for International Open Access Week 2026 is 'The price of knowledge', prompting discussions on who benefits from the rising costs associated with accessing and sharing knowledge. Last year's theme questioned 'Who owns our knowledge?', while this year’s focus is on the broader implications of these costs, which extend beyond journal subscription fees and article processing charges (APCs). It highlights the time and effort invested by authors, reviewers, and editors, as well as the exclusion of many from equitable participation in knowledge production and sharing.
In contrast to the commercial model of knowledge dissemination, the organisers advocate for creating, maintaining, and sharing knowledge as a public good, rather than a commodity to be exploited. This perspective has gained recognition from 193 countries that have adopted the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science.
