Background on Open Access in Switzerland

Switzerland has long been a leader in promoting open access to scholarly research, with national strategies emphasizing the removal of paywalls to accelerate scientific discovery and public engagement with academic work. The country's decentralized higher education system, coordinated through bodies like swissuniversities, supports a mix of gold open access publishing in dedicated journals, diamond models without fees, and green self-archiving in repositories. Recent data shows that the open access ratio for publications from Switzerland-based researchers hovered consistently between 65 and 70 percent from 2021 through 2025, reflecting sustained institutional and funder support.

This commitment aligns with broader European efforts, including alignment with Plan S principles, while navigating Switzerland's unique position outside the European Union yet deeply integrated into collaborative research networks. Institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne frequently participate in these initiatives, underscoring the role of leading technical universities in driving policy and practice.

The Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries and Its Role

The Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries, known as CSAL, serves as the primary negotiating body for library consortia deals across the country. Operating under the umbrella of swissuniversities and supported administratively by SLSP AG in Zurich, CSAL represents dozens of academic institutions in negotiations with publishers. Its mandate focuses on securing favorable terms for access and publishing that benefit researchers, libraries, and the broader academic community while managing costs effectively.

CSAL has a track record of successful transformative and open access agreements with major publishers. These deals typically combine read access where needed with publishing discounts or full coverage of article processing charges. The consortium's approach prioritizes sustainability, transparency, and alignment with national open science goals outlined in Switzerland's revised open access strategy.

Details of the Renewed Agreement with MDPI

On June 10, 2026, MDPI announced the renewal of its publishing agreement with CSAL. The one-year partnership provides continued access for 24 Swiss institutions to MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program, commonly referred to as IOAP. Under this arrangement, affiliated researchers receive a 20 percent discount on article processing charges for publications in MDPI's fully open access journals.

The IOAP offers participating institutions a dedicated dashboard for tracking submissions and publications, direct support contacts at MDPI, and streamlined administrative processes. This model helps institutions comply with funder mandates while reducing financial barriers for authors. The agreement took effect following prior renewals, including extensions into 2025, demonstrating an ongoing collaborative relationship between the Swiss consortium and the publisher.

MDPI, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, operates as one of the world's largest fully open access publishers, with a portfolio spanning hundreds of peer-reviewed journals across disciplines. The company's IOAP has grown to include over 1,000 institutions globally, offering flexible models such as flat-fee arrangements for high-volume publishers or straightforward discount structures like the one in the CSAL deal.

Benefits for Swiss Researchers and Institutions

The renewed agreement delivers tangible advantages for academics at participating universities and research centers. The 20 percent APC discount lowers the cost of making research immediately available under Creative Commons licenses, typically CC-BY, which maximizes visibility, citation potential, and compliance with open access requirements from funders like the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Researchers benefit from simplified workflows, as the institutional dashboard facilitates identification of eligible authors and automatic application of discounts during submission. For libraries and administrators, the deal supports better budgeting predictability and reduces the administrative burden associated with individual APC payments. This is particularly valuable in a landscape where article processing charges can vary widely and strain institutional resources.

Participating institutions gain enhanced reporting capabilities, allowing them to monitor publication output, track compliance, and demonstrate the impact of their open access investments to stakeholders and funders.

Photo by Janosch Diggelmann on Unsplash

Context Within Switzerland's Open Science Landscape

Switzerland's open access ecosystem benefits from coordinated national efforts. swissuniversities has negotiated similar agreements with other major publishers, creating a diversified portfolio that reduces reliance on any single provider. The MDPI renewal complements these arrangements by focusing on a publisher known for rapid publication timelines and broad disciplinary coverage.

The country's multilingual and decentralized structure presents both opportunities and challenges. Agreements like this one help standardize benefits across cantons and language regions, ensuring equitable access for researchers in German-, French-, Italian-, and Romansh-speaking areas. The consistent high open access adoption rate reflects successful policy implementation alongside practical support mechanisms such as the CSAL framework.

Impacts on Academic Publishing and Research Dissemination

Renewed access to discounted open access publishing through MDPI is expected to sustain or increase the volume of Swiss research appearing in immediate open access formats. This contributes to greater global reach, as open access articles are more likely to be read, cited, and built upon by international collaborators.

For early-career researchers and those in resource-constrained fields, the discount can make a meaningful difference in deciding where to submit work. It also supports interdisciplinary and applied research that benefits from rapid dissemination. Broader implications include strengthened Switzerland's position in global rankings of research impact and continued alignment with international standards for responsible research assessment that value open practices.

Stakeholder Perspectives and Future Outlook

Library consortia leaders view such renewals as evidence of successful negotiation strategies that balance publisher sustainability with researcher needs. Publishers like MDPI highlight the value of long-term partnerships that provide stability and encourage high-quality submissions from established research communities.

Looking ahead, the agreement includes provisions for evaluation and potential extension discussions well before the end of the term. Swiss institutions may explore hybrid or enhanced models in future negotiations, potentially incorporating elements like subscribe-to-open or more comprehensive coverage options as publication volumes and institutional priorities evolve.

The one-year duration allows flexibility to assess outcomes, including publication numbers, cost efficiencies, and researcher satisfaction, informing subsequent agreements. This adaptive approach mirrors trends seen in other European consortia deals.

Broader Implications for Global Open Access Trends

The Swiss-MDPI renewal reflects wider momentum in open access publishing, where consortia agreements play an increasingly central role in transitioning scholarly communication away from subscription models. Similar deals have been struck in recent years with publishers across Europe and beyond, signaling a maturing market for institutional open access programs.

For academics worldwide, these developments underscore the importance of understanding institutional affiliations and available discounts when planning submissions. Swiss researchers now have another reliable pathway to compliant, visible publishing that supports career progression and knowledge sharing.

Continued collaboration between national consortia and publishers will be essential to addressing challenges such as rising APC costs, ensuring equitable access for all disciplines, and maintaining rigorous peer review standards amid growing submission volumes.

Photo by Thiago de Andrade on Unsplash

Practical Guidance for Researchers at Participating Institutions

Researchers affiliated with CSAL member institutions should verify eligibility through their university library or research office before submission. Key steps include confirming institutional affiliation in the MDPI submission system, selecting the IOAP discount option where prompted, and ensuring the final article meets funder open access requirements.

University administrators can leverage the IOAP dashboard for oversight and may wish to promote the agreement through internal communications, training sessions, or integration into research support services. This helps maximize uptake and demonstrates institutional commitment to open science principles.

Those interested in learning more about open access options in Switzerland can consult resources from swissuniversities or explore the full list of participating institutions via the CSAL website.