Library bookshelf transforming into a digital landscape, symbolizing open access.

The Great Academic Publishing Shake-Up: Are 'Transformative Agreements' Tipping the Scales of Knowledge?

Lena Kashyap in Business & Economy December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A deep dive into how new publishing deals are affecting competition, access, and the future of research."

The internet was supposed to democratize knowledge, flinging open the doors to a world of free and instant access. But in the realm of academic publishing, the reality has been far more complex. For years, researchers have grappled with a system dominated by established journals, often locked behind expensive paywalls. Libraries, squeezed by rising subscription costs, found themselves struggling to provide their communities with the resources they needed.

Enter 'gold' open access – a model where journals ditch subscriptions and instead charge publication fees, making articles freely available online. While promising, this approach hasn't always been a smooth transition. Many researchers stuck with established journals, and libraries faced the double burden of subscriptions and open access fees.

Now, a new wave of 'transformative agreements' (TAs) is sweeping the academic landscape. These deals aim to flip the script, with institutions paying publishers for open access publishing rather than traditional subscriptions. But are they truly revolutionizing the system, or simply reinforcing the power of the old guard? This article examines the surprising, and sometimes troubling, implications of transformative agreements for competition, access, and the future of academic publishing.

What Exactly Are Transformative Agreements and How Do They Work?

Library bookshelf transforming into a digital landscape, symbolizing open access.

Transformative agreements represent a fundamental shift in how academic research is funded and disseminated. Instead of paying for subscriptions to access journals, institutions agree to pay a fixed fee for each article published open access in a participating journal. This 'publish-and-read' model aims to make research immediately available to anyone, anywhere.

Here's the basic formula: a portion of the fee covers the cost of publishing the article itself, while another portion covers reading access to the publisher's existing collection of journals. The weighting between these two components is where things get interesting.

The 'Publish' Component: Covers the direct costs of peer review, editing, and online hosting for the specific article.
The 'Read' Component: Essentially buys continued access to the publisher's back catalog of subscription-based content.
The Weighting Factor: The relative importance of the 'publish' and 'read' parts—can heavily influence the overall cost and impact of the agreement.

Crucially, even under a TA, publishers continue to publish papers from researchers at institutions without such agreements. This ensures a continued stream of subscription revenue and maintains the value of their paywalled content.

The Revolution Devours Its Children?

Transformative agreements hold immense potential to reshape academic publishing for the better. However, this analysis reveals a need of careful consideration on how these agreements are structured and implemented to ensure they genuinely promote competition, wider access, and a more equitable system for all. Ultimately, the goal should be to foster a truly open and accessible ecosystem where knowledge can flourish, rather than simply reinforcing the dominance of established players.

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Everything You Need To Know

What are 'Transformative Agreements' in academic publishing, and how do they differ from traditional subscription models?

Transformative Agreements (TAs) represent a shift in academic publishing where institutions pay publishers for open access publishing rather than traditional subscriptions. Instead of paying to access journals, institutions pay a fixed fee for each article published open access in a participating journal. This 'publish-and-read' model intends to make research immediately available to anyone. Traditional subscription models require institutions to pay for access to a publisher's journals, restricting access to those affiliated with subscribing institutions. This is different from 'gold' open access, where researchers pay publication fees.

How do Transformative Agreements influence access to academic research, and what are the potential drawbacks?

Transformative Agreements aim to increase access to academic research by making articles freely available online through the 'publish-and-read' model. However, potential drawbacks include the continued dominance of established publishers, as these agreements may reinforce their power rather than leveling the playing field. Also, there is a weighting factor between the 'publish' component, covering peer review and online hosting, and the 'read' component, that buys access to the publisher's back catalog. The weighting of these components can impact costs.

What are the 'publish' and 'read' components within a Transformative Agreement, and why is their weighting significant?

In a Transformative Agreement, the 'publish' component covers the direct costs of peer review, editing, and online hosting for a specific article. The 'read' component buys continued access to the publisher's existing collection of subscription-based content. The weighting between these components influences the overall cost and impact of the agreement. If the 'read' component is heavily weighted, institutions may end up paying more for continued access to existing content, potentially hindering the shift toward a fully open access model. This balance is crucial for ensuring that TAs genuinely promote wider access and competition.

How do Transformative Agreements affect researchers and institutions that do not participate in these agreements?

Even under a Transformative Agreement, publishers continue to publish papers from researchers at institutions without such agreements, thus ensuring a continued stream of subscription revenue and maintaining the value of their paywalled content. This may create a two-tiered system where researchers from participating institutions have increased visibility through open access, while those from non-participating institutions may face challenges in disseminating their research widely. This also means institutions without agreements still face subscription costs, even as TAs shift the financial landscape for others.

What must be considered to ensure that Transformative Agreements promote competition, wider access, and a more equitable system for all in academic publishing?

To ensure Transformative Agreements promote competition, wider access, and equity, the weighting of the 'publish' and 'read' components must be carefully considered to avoid reinforcing the dominance of established publishers. Agreements should foster a truly open and accessible ecosystem. Considerations should be made for institutions that cannot participate in Transformative Agreements. The goal is to foster a system where knowledge can flourish, not simply maintain the status quo. It also requires continual analysis of the financial impact on different institutions and the overall progress towards open access.