The purpose of publishing in open access journals (golden route) or through self-archiving (green route) is to make the research work of academics, researchers, and their institutions—produced under the rigors of peer review—visible, accessible, retrievable via any web search engine, searchable, and ultimately useful to any potential reader with internet access.
By maximizing public electronic access to research results, the visibility, usage, and citation impact of each research work are also maximized. This, in turn, not only enhances the benefits for researchers and their institutions in terms of prestige, credibility, and resources, but more importantly, maximizes the benefits of the research itself (and, more broadly, the society that funds it) through the dissemination of research findings, their applications, and the overall advancement of research productivity and progress.
Furthermore, the research cycle—where work is published, read, cited, and built upon by other researchers—is significantly accelerated when results are available through Open Access.
Specific Benefits of Open Access
For Academics and Researchers:
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Immediate and free (no-fee) access to scientific content
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Increased recognition and impact of their scientific work
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Rapid dissemination and use of research results
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Tracking the progress of their work through repository services and tools
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Preservation of scientific material according to international standards
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Enhanced communication within the scientific community
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Management and control via the Internet
For Academic and Research Institutions and Libraries:
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International and long-term visibility and promotion of their work
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Long-term preservation of digital scientific content
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More effective research management
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Reduced subscription costs
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Opportunities to secure funding
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Development of modern, high-quality services
For Businesses:
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Immediate and free access to research results
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Development of innovative products and services
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Strengthened competitiveness
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Collaboration and dialogue with the scientific community
For Citizens:
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Immediate and free access to scientific content
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Increased interest in science and participation through citizen science
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Contribution to social and economic well-being and development
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Research results become a public good, as they should be when research is funded with public resources
Source: National Documentation Centre (EKT)