MDPI expands UK footprint with renewed Jisc agreement
MDPI has announced a new two-year agreement with the UK’s Jisc consortium, extending access to its Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) for more than 60 UK institutions until the end of 2027.
The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs), as the publisher continues to strengthen its presence in the UK’s open access landscape.
De Montfort University is the latest institution to join MDPI’s partnership programme. The University of the West of Scotland, University of West London, Robert Gordon University, and University of Leicester also joined in 2025. These additions reflect continued demand for open access publishing services across the UK, alongside sustained uptake of Gold OA models.
Institutions opting for centralised funding will benefit from higher APC discounts and tailored invoicing arrangements. Researchers affiliated with participating institutions will also receive discounts on book processing charges (BPCs) through MDPI Books, as well as reduced costs for MDPI’s Author Services and its Journal and Article Management System (JAMS).
Becky Castellon, institutional partnerships manager at MDPI, said: “Since 2023, MDPI has published roughly 30,000 articles affiliated with UK institutions, 98% of which are indexed in Web of Science or Scopus. More than 4,200 of these papers received APC fee waivers through the IOAP. This speaks to MDPI’s pivotal role in making research visible and accessible, driven by 30 years of expertise in Open Access. Our new agreement with Jisc ensures this legacy continues, removing barriers to OA at a time of significant pressure in UK scholarship.”
MDPI opened its UK office in 2019, forming a central part of its national engagement strategy. Alongside the IOAP, the publisher runs outreach initiatives including Academic Publishing Workshops and its annual UK Summit, aimed at supporting researchers and strengthening institutional relationships.
Jaime Anderson, operations manager at MDPI UK, said: “More than 3,500 editorial board members (EBMs) across the UK currently collaborate with MDPI, including 49 editors-in-chief (EiCs) and 72 section EiCs. These EBMs actively guide the direction of our journals, so ensuring they feel well supported is a core priority.
“Our outreach events provide key opportunities to strengthen these relationships, while gathering first-hand feedback about community needs and expectations. Our new agreement with Jisc further reflects our efforts to reinforce regional OA networks and empower local research communities.”