Preparing for the Research Excellence Framework: Examples of Open Access Good Practice across the United Kingdom

This article concerns how higher education institutions across the United Kingdom are implementing systems and workflows in order to meet open access requirements for the next Research Excellence Framework. The way that institutions are preparing is not uniform, although there are key areas which require attention: cost management, advocacy, systems and metadata, structural workflows, and internal policy. Examples of preparative work in these areas are taken from institutions who have participated in the Open Access Good Practice initiative supported by Jisc.

Alliance Learning: Revolutionising the way they work with an online learner management system

Since May 2012 Paul Cocker, Operation Executive and the Senior Management Team of Alliance Learning have introduced an online learner management system for every learner, requiring significant investment in systems, hardware, acceptance by staff and above all, time and commitment from the management team. This organisation has taken the radical step to overcome one of the major barriers to achieve its goal by dedicating three periods of two weeks where the business has closed for staff CPD training. A total of 500 man hours were invested to implement the online system. This is an excellent model of how to make these major changes effective in the shortest time.