JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 6 – In a significant advancement toward promoting Open Access (OA) publishing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has enabled its researchers to publish articles in eligible Springer Hybrid journals at no cost. This initiative supports academics by making all aspects of their research, such as publications, preprints, data, protocols, methods, and peer review, freely accessible to the global community. By facilitating open sharing of research, UTM aims to enhance the visibility, accessibility, and impact of scholarly outputs.
Recently, UTM Library organised an informative hybrid webinar titled “Springer TA Explained: How to Publish Without Paying a Cent,” held on August 6, 2025. The event drew over 275 participants online, showcasing the academic community’s strong interest in and support for OA initiatives.
This webinar was a collaborative effort between UTM Library and UTM Research Alliance, designed to raise awareness about the Transformative Agreement (TA) between Konsortium Sumber Elektronik Pendidikan Tinggi (KONSEPt) and Springer Nature publisher. Through this agreement, authors affiliated with UTM and participating institutions can publish in eligible Springer Hybrid journals without incurring Article Processing Charges (APCs), thereby alleviating a significant financial burden associated with OA publishing.
UTM is among more than 20 member universities under KONSEPt that benefit from this Read and Publish model. In addition to waived APCs, researchers receive comprehensive access to Springer’s extensive portfolio of subscription content, which includes Springer, Adis, Palgrave, and various Academic Journals. Springer Nature is a leading global research publisher, managing over 1 million submissions annually, with a portfolio that comprises more than 580 Open Access journals and over 2,200 journals within transformative and hybrid frameworks.
The webinar featured two distinguished speakers from Springer Nature: Kent Yeap, Licensing Manager for Institutional Sales, and Xian Toh, Account Development Manager for Southeast Asia. Both speakers provided valuable insights into the mechanics and benefits of the TA, clarifying how researchers can leverage this opportunity to enhance the visibility and impact of their scholarly work. Publishing OA in high-impact hybrid journals not only broadens the reach of research but also supports global knowledge dissemination.
The event was conducted in a hybrid format, with a physical session at UTM attended by 25 participants, including Deputy Deans of Research & Innovation, Springer Nature editors, research managers, and academic staff from various faculties. Meanwhile, 252 participants, consisting of academics and postgraduate students, joined the session virtually via Webex.
This initiative reflects UTM’s ongoing commitment to supporting OA, fostering research excellence, and expanding the global impact of its scholarly output. The strong turnout and positive engagement indicate a growing awareness and enthusiasm for OA publishing within the academic community.
The session was organised by the UTM library and attended by Deputy Deans of Research & Innovation, Springer Nature editors, research managers, and academic staff from various faculties.
