Publications are considered open (open access, OA) if they are freely accessible - i.e., free of charge and without restriction - via the Internet and can be re-used. OA publications are still subject to copyright, but subsequent use should be governed by clear licensing conditions that are as open as possible (e.g., Creative Commons licenses).

The UoC recommends its members to publish all scientific achievements Open Access, as long as this does not cause any disadvantages for you and the UoC. When choosing a publication medium, it is necessary to pay attention to its reputability, so as not to encourage so-called 'predatory publishing', i.e. fraudulent publishing practices without adequate quality checks.

The University and City Library of Cologne (USB) offers comprehensive publication support and advises on issues related to scientific publishing and the different options for publishing Open Access (golden path, green path, diamond OA).  An up-to-date overview of high-quality and peer-reviewed open access journals is provided, for example, by DOAJ - Directory of Open Access Journals.

The UoC supports Open Access structurally (e.g. by operating repositories and Open Access journals) and with financial and administrative resources. The electronic publication of scientific publications can be done via the Cologne University Publication Server (KUPS) and should be evidenced via the research bibliography in the Research Information System (RIS). The UoC also recommends that researchers make their submitted manuscripts (preprints) available on recognized preprint servers in accordance with disciplinary practice.

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Further information and support services on Open Access at the University of Cologne can be found at the University and City Library of Cologne.