1. Overview

The Universal Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovative Development (UJMRID) is committed to providing open access to all research published in the journal. We believe that open access to scholarly articles promotes wider dissemination of knowledge, accelerates research progress, and ensures that research is freely accessible to anyone, anywhere.

This Open Access and Licensing Policy outlines the terms and conditions under which content published in UJMRID will be made available and the licensing arrangements under which it is distributed.

2. Open Access Policy

2.1. Definition of Open Access

Open access means that the research articles published in UJMRID are freely available to all readers immediately upon publication, without subscription or access fees. Readers can access, read, download, copy, distribute, print, or link to the full text of articles without any financial or technical barriers.

2.2. Content Available Open Access

• All articles published in UJMRID, including research papers, reviews, short communications, case studies, and other scholarly work, are made available under open access.
• Articles are accessible in full-text formats (HTML, PDF, ePub) to ensure the widest possible dissemination.

2.3. No Subscription or Paywalls

• All articles published in UJMRID are immediately available to the public upon publication and are not subject to any subscription fees, paywalls, or access restrictions.
• There are no subscription fees or article processing fees (APCs) required for readers to access the articles.

2.4. Free Access for All Stakeholders

• UJMRID ensures that articles are available to everyone, including researchers, academics, students, industry professionals, and the general public globally, without any cost.

3. Licensing Policy

3.1. Creative Commons License (CC BY)

• UJMRID adopts the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license for all of its published content.
• This license permits users to:
  • Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium, mode, or format.
  • Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
  • Attribution: Properly credit the author(s) of the original work in the manner specified by the author(s) or the publisher (but not in any way that suggests the author or publisher endorses the user or their use of the work).

This license ensures that the authors retain the copyright of their works while allowing the broader community to reuse and build upon the published research, promoting the spread of knowledge and scientific progress.

3.2. Author Rights

• Authors retain full copyright of their work, and they grant the journal the right to publish, distribute, and make their work accessible globally in an open-access format.
• Authors are free to share and reuse their own work, provided they follow the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

3.3. Licensing of Submitted Work

• Upon acceptance and publication, authors must agree to the licensing terms under the CC BY 4.0 license. The license is automatically applied to all articles published in UJMRID.
• Authors must ensure that their submitted work is free from third-party copyright claims or restrictions. Any third-party content included in the manuscript (e.g., images, tables, etc.) must be appropriately licensed or permission must be obtained from the copyright holder.

3.4. Attribution Requirement

• All users of the content published in UJMRID must provide appropriate attribution to the authors and the journal in the manner specified by the authors or publisher.
• Authors must be credited as the original creators of the work whenever the work is reused, shared, or modified.

4. Access to Published Content

4.1. Article Accessibility

• Once published, all articles will be immediately available on the journal’s website. The content can be accessed via the journal’s main page, and no payment is required to access any of the content.
• Full-text articles are available in PDF, HTML, and ePub formats to cater to diverse reader needs.

4.2. Archiving and Preservation

• Articles published in UJMRID are archived in open repositories and perpetual digital archives to ensure long-term preservation and accessibility.
• The journal ensures that its content remains accessible even if the website or hosting platform experiences technical difficulties or other disruptions.

4.3. Interoperability with Other Databases

• The journal ensures that all published content is indexed and made available to relevant academic search engines and databases, such as Google Scholar, DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals), and other subject-specific repositories.
• Content is also made available for linking and interlinking with other scholarly works and resources, promoting cross-referencing and citation of articles.

5. Reuse and Redistribution of Published Work

5.1. Permission to Reuse

• As per the CC BY 4.0 license, readers, researchers, and institutions are allowed to reuse or redistribute any article or material published in UJMRID, provided that the original authors and the journal are appropriately credited.
• Authors, institutions, and other users can remix or build upon the published works for any purpose, including educational or commercial purposes.

5.2. Commercial Use

• The CC BY 4.0 license permits commercial use of the published material. Authors and users are free to utilize the content for commercial purposes as long as proper attribution is provided and the work is used in compliance with the terms of the license.
• Commercial use may include selling or sublicensing the work, using it in a product or service, or incorporating it into paid content or services.

5.3. No Additional Restrictions

• Under the CC BY 4.0 license, authors or other users cannot apply additional restrictions that would prevent others from exercising the rights granted by the license (such as imposing a fee or limiting the ability to reuse or share the content).

6. Responsibilities of Authors, Editors, and Reviewers Regarding Open Access

6.1. Author Responsibilities

• Authors must ensure that their manuscript is their original work and that they have permission to use third-party content.
• Authors must agree to publish their work under the Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) license when submitting to the journal.

6.2. Editor and Reviewer Responsibilities

• Editors and reviewers must promote and uphold the open access policy of the journal, ensuring that all manuscripts are published under the appropriate licensing terms.
• Editors should ensure that articles are correctly attributed and do not contain plagiarized material or content that violates any copyright.

7. Financial Model and Sustainability of Open Access

7.1. Article Processing Charges (APCs)

• UJMRID follows an open-access model where no subscription fees are charged to readers. Currently, there are no Article Processing Charges (APCs) for authors. The journal supports a model that allows authors to publish their work freely without any financial barriers to publication.
• The journal is committed to maintaining an open-access model, ensuring that researchers and readers from all economic backgrounds can freely access high-quality academic content.

7.2. Sustainability

• The journal ensures the sustainability of its open-access model by maintaining a strong, transparent relationship with its stakeholders, including institutions, libraries, and funding agencies.
• The journal seeks continuous funding and support from appropriate partners to ensure the longevity and availability of its content.

8. Future Directions

• UJMRID plans to further integrate open data initiatives and open peer review practices into its publishing model, ensuring that all aspects of the research process are open and accessible.
• The journal is committed to evolving with the changing needs of the academic community, ensuring that its publishing practices are in line with global best practices for open access.

9. Conclusion

The Universal Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovative Development (UJMRID) is dedicated to advancing open access to scholarly research and promoting the free dissemination of knowledge. Through its Creative Commons licensing policy, the journal allows for broad distribution and reuse of published work, fostering collaboration, innovation, and further research in the academic community.

By adhering to these principles, UJMRID ensures that its content is freely accessible to the global research community, promoting scholarly dialogue, advancing education, and contributing to the ongoing development of knowledge across disciplines.