ScienceDirect (Elsevier)
This agreement commenced in 2023. It is a three-year agreement (2023-2025).
Institutions participating in this agreement have access to over 2000 subscription-based journal titles in the ScienceDirect Freedom Collection and affiliated authors can publish their articles open access in these hybrid titles without paying article processing charges (APCs).
Gold open access titles: eligible corresponding authors will receive a discount on Elsevier’s gold open access portfolio of titles.
Elsevier has a pilot for Geographical Pricing for Open Access (GPOA) to help authors from low- and middle-income countries by offering discounted Article Processing Charges (APC) on142 Gold Open Access journals. Some journals under the transformative agreement are benefiting from the GPOA discount.
- Click here to see the list of journals included in GPOA.
- Click here to read more about this agreement.
- Click here to find hybrid participating journals in this agreement.
- Click here to watch some useful videos on Publishing Open Access with Elsevier.
Participating institutions
- Agricultural Research Council
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Central University of Technology
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- Durban University of Technology
- Mangosuthu University of Technology
- Mintek
- Nelson Mandela University
- North-West University
- Rhodes University
- Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
- Sol Plaatje University
- South African Medical Research Council
- Stellenbosch University
- Tshwane University of Technology
- University of Cape Town
- University of fort Hare
- University of Johannesburg
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of Limpopo
- University of Mpumalanga
- University of Pretoria
- University of South Africa
- University of the Free State
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Venda
- Vaal University of Technology
- Walter Sisulu University
Number of included articles
There is a limit (cap) on the number of articles that can be published by authors affiliated with participating institutions. The cap for 2025 is 2610 articles, shared across the consortium and allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Opening balance 2025
Approved
Current balance
2 610
257
2353
Opening balance 2025: 2 610
Approved: 257
Current balance: 2353