{"id":77738,"date":"2026-04-07T19:22:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T19:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/?post_type=project&p=77738"},"modified":"2026-05-11T18:19:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T18:19:47","slug":"open-preprints","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/project\/open-preprints\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Preprints"},"content":{"rendered":"

Furthering scientific progress through sharing<\/h2>\n

The Preprint Policy Framework<\/a><\/p>\n

In the age of the AI, open practices reaffirm our shared commitment to growing the commons and ensuring equitable sharing of scientific research. Open practices for preprints, including open licensing, are crucial to a policy approach that supports rapid and early dissemination of outputs throughout the research lifecycle. Policies can have an amplifying effect on open practices as they can systematically change sharing practices at scale.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Creative Commons and ASAPbio co-led the development of a Preprint Policy Framework which outlined six target components that support the growth and adoption of open practices for preprints among research funders and research-performing organizations. In 2026, we are partnering with Gates Foundation to further expand endorsement of and alignment with the framework.<\/p>\n

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I believe embracing CC BY licensing for preprints is the easiest, most cost-effective, most equitable, and most publisher-proof policy a funder can implement. It ensures global access to research without delay. Collaborating with Creative Commons to develop this preprint policy framework has been critical to its success, grounding it in trusted, globally recognized licensing principles that advance openness by design.
\n\u2014Ashley Farley, Senior Officer of Knowledge & Research Services at the Gates Foundation<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Our Previous Work<\/h2>\n

The Open Preprints project has been twofold: work with funders of open science to ensure that open practices, including open licensing, is built into key research workflows and support researchers in navigating licensing decisions. Several preprint servers, including openRxiv\u2019s bioRxiv and medRxiv, have also updated their license selectors and added clarifying language about open licenses in order to better educate and support researchers.<\/p>\n

Preprints are complete drafts of scientific research articles posted to an online repository before formal peer review. Online repositories (for example, bioRxiv<\/a>, medRxiv<\/a>, and arXiv<\/a>) are web-based platforms that post research outputs for scholarly publication. Preprints have long been part of the scientific publishing ecosystem and are increasingly becoming an essential vehicle for scientific dissemination.<\/p>\n

The increasing use of preprints in life sciences shows the importance of rapid and equitable knowledge dissemination. Openly licensing preprints takes it one step further. Openly licensed preprints allow researchers and readers to access research without having to rely on subscriptions or paid access to research journals.<\/p>\n

As of mid-2024, approximately 18% of the preprints published on arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv, and Research Square were openly licensed with CC BY. Our goal was to expand the adoption of the CC BY license on life sciences preprints. CC BY is the best open license for preprints because authors retain their copyright while maximizing reuse. CC BY removes legal complexities and increases the sharing, reach, and accessibility of global knowledge.<\/p>\n

By developing model policies, training funders, and partnering with preprint servers to streamline open licensing practices, we\u2019re ensuring that grant-funded research outputs are accessible, adaptable, and aligned with the growing demand for transparency and collaboration in scientific communication.<\/p>\n

Resources<\/h2>\n