BMJ Group expands open access reach with new Read and Publish agreements

These agreements also provide access to the Group’s full journal collection of over 65 titles, some of which are the most influential in their field. These agreements also provide access to the Group’s full journal collection of over 65 titles, some of which are the most influential in their field. These agreements also provide access to the Group’s complete journal collection of over 65 titles, some of which are the most influential in their field. 

UK and Ireland—BMJ Group has renewed its Read and Publish agreements with JISC in the UK and the Irish Research e-Library (IReL)—a consortium of Irish research libraries—for the fifth consecutive year. This year’s agreements continue with a “Publish” element covering the entire BMJ Journals Collection, giving researchers at over 75 institutions the opportunity to publish open access across the full range of the Group’s titles. These long-standing partnerships continue to support the transition to open access, enhancing global access to critical healthcare research.

Europe—BMJ Group has expanded its reach with renewed agreements in Hungary and Austria. The partnerships with the Hungarian Electronic Information Services National Programme (EiSZ) in Hungary and E-Media Austria Cooperation (KEMO) in Austria allow researchers at participating institutions to publish open access across the full BMJ Journals Collection. BMJ Group has also renewed agreements with major European consortia, including Bayern Konsortium (BSB, Germany), the National Library of Sweden (Bibsam), and the Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries (CSAL, Switzerland).

Australia—Having grown from one institutional agreement in 2024 to four in 2025, BMJ Group is excited to see the rapid expansion of its partnerships in Australia. New agreements with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of Notre Dame, University of New South Wales, and Edith Cowan University will support academic excellence and foster greater regional research collaboration. This expansion reflects the Group’s dedicated focus on increasing access to open access publishing opportunities for Australian researchers, empowering them to share their work on a global scale.

Americas—BMJ Group continues strengthening its presence in the United States with brand new Read and Publish agreements at the University of Arizona and Northeastern University. In addition, Vanderbilt University, Rowan University and Michigan State University have all renewed their existing agreements. These agreements enable researchers to publish open access across the BMJ Journals Collection, including The BMJ [Research]; and BMJ Gold open access journals, including BMJ Open. 

In Mexico, BMJ Group continues collaborating with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Our new 2025 Read and Publish Agreement covers publish and read access in the BMJ Journals Collection and our Gold open access journals.

The success of our Read and Publish agreements underscores the importance of open access in advancing healthcare knowledge. By working with institutions across the globe, we are empowering researchers to make their work accessible to all, driving the impact of high-quality academic research and helping to shape better health outcomes.”

Claire Rawlinson
Director of Growth Strategy, BMJ Group