Here at the University of Buckingham Press (UBP), we recently reached an agreement with the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) to publish its existing publication, the International Journal of Maritime Engineering (IJME). The first issue under the joint-venture agreement will be published around April 2021 with quarterly issues published thereafter.
Under the agreement, IJME will be published in both print and digital formats with the latter hosted online on UBP’s journal platform and via our journal distribution and marketing partners. Submissions, editorial process and subscriptions will still be managed by RINA, with UBP’s support, with UBP providing production, distribution, sales and marketing for all issues.
Subscriptions types will also be reviewed and expanded along with the availability of specific research content on an Open Access basis.
Open Access
The highlight for UBP throughout 2020 has been the growth of our portfolio of academic journals and journals of professional institutions which flourish as Open Access publications. This has enabled them to be available to be read and downloaded by a global audience with no paywall barrier.
UBP is now applying this model to a new range of its books. By inverting the traditional model and removing barriers to access the content, it allows a full focus on maximising readership in all markets.
How OA Books work
All book content is available for free to view and download on a full text and chapter level online. Print copies are separately available via usual channels.
In addition to on UBP’s own platforms, content can be made available via UBP’s content and marketing partners globally as well as indexed by content repositories and search engines.
Links can be included in the content for authors’ other works and activities and data is also made available on reader behaviour, demographic and usage of the content.
Benefits to the contributor
Establish the contributor as a thought leader in its sector
Achieve readership in existing and new global markets
Attract customers to the company’s own products and services
Attract research funding where applicable
Provide invaluable customer and data
Funding OA publications
In contrast to the retail business model for books, the production costs for OA books are funded by either an overall sponsor or a publication charge per chapter for contributors authoring one or more chapters. As an indicator, for a multi-authored book the charge for a single chapter would be £1,000 to £1,500 depending on the number of chapters being included in the book.
Editorial Standards
All chapters will be fully reviewed and edited to ensure the required quality of the overall publication. Should a chapter not be considered to have reached the necessary level, the author will be informed and the fee paid refunded. The book will also go through two rounds of proofreading ahead of publication and the author will be provided with a final text PDF ahead of publication.
Submission of content
Should you wish to receive further information or to submit a chapter for the book, email:
Jonathan Reuvid
Editor-in-Chief
University of Buckingham Press
jonathanreuvid@legend-paperbooks.co.uk
01295 738070