Community-Led Diamond Open Access Journals: Sustainable, Scholar-Owned Alternatives to Commercial Publishing

Introduction

As debates around affordability, equity, and sustainability intensify in academic publishing, a quiet but powerful movement has been gaining momentum: community-led Diamond Open Access journals. Unlike subscription-based models or author-pays systems, Diamond Open Access operates without charging readers or authors. Instead, journals are funded and managed by academic communities, institutions, libraries, or scholarly societies.

In a landscape often dominated by commercial publishers and article processing charges (APCs), Diamond Open Access presents a compelling alternative—one rooted in academic ownership, collaboration, and shared responsibility.

What Is Diamond Open Access?

Diamond Open Access (also known as Platinum Open Access) refers to journals that provide immediate, free access to content without charging authors publication fees. Unlike Gold Open Access, which typically relies on APCs, Diamond journals remove financial barriers on both ends of the publishing process.

These journals are often supported by:

• Universities and research institutions
• Academic libraries
• Scholarly societies
• Government funding bodies
• Volunteer editorial boards

The model emphasizes knowledge as a public good rather than a commodity.

Organizations such as SPARC and cOAlition S have highlighted the importance of Diamond Open Access in advancing equitable scholarly communication, particularly for researchers in underfunded regions.

Why Diamond Open Access Matters

The economics of academic publishing have increasingly raised concerns. Subscription costs limit access for institutions with constrained budgets, while APC-based systems shift the financial burden onto authors and funders.

Diamond Open Access addresses both challenges by:

• Removing paywalls for readers
• Eliminating publication fees for authors
• Reducing financial exclusion in global research
• Supporting locally governed editorial decision-making

For scholars in low- and middle-income countries, Diamond models can offer pathways to publish without incurring prohibitive fees.

Moreover, community-led governance ensures that editorial priorities reflect disciplinary needs rather than commercial profitability.

Scholar Ownership and Governance

One defining feature of Diamond Open Access is academic control. Editorial boards typically consist of active researchers who oversee peer review, scope, and policy development. Institutional hosts provide infrastructure support, such as journal management systems, digital preservation services, and web hosting.

This scholar-led structure fosters:

• Greater alignment between editorial policy and disciplinary values
• Flexibility in adapting to emerging research needs
• Enhanced transparency in decision-making

Because financial incentives are minimized, editorial independence can be strengthened. Decisions are driven primarily by scholarly merit rather than revenue considerations.

Sustainability Challenges

Despite its strengths, Diamond Open Access is not without obstacles. Sustainability remains a central concern.

Without subscription revenue or APC income, journals rely on institutional funding, grants, or volunteer labor. Long-term financial stability may be uncertain if institutional priorities shift or funding cycles change.

Key sustainability challenges include:

• Securing consistent operational funding
• Maintaining professional production standards
• Managing editorial workload without burnout
• Investing in technology and indexing visibility

To address these issues, collaborative funding models are emerging. Library consortia and national research agencies are increasingly pooling resources to support Diamond journals collectively.

Infrastructure and Collaboration

Technological infrastructure plays a crucial role in enabling Diamond Open Access. Platforms such as Public Knowledge Project, which develops Open Journal Systems (OJS), provide cost-effective publishing tools for community-led journals.

Shared infrastructure reduces duplication and enhances interoperability. National or regional publishing platforms can host multiple Diamond journals, creating economies of scale.

Collaboration across institutions—rather than competition—becomes a defining principle.

Equity and Global Knowledge Production

Diamond Open Access aligns closely with principles of global equity. In many regions, researchers face limited funding for APCs while also lacking subscription access to leading journals.

By eliminating financial barriers, Diamond journals:

• Support inclusive participation in global scholarship
• Amplify regionally relevant research topics
• Strengthen academic sovereignty

This model is particularly valuable for disciplines that receive less commercial attention, such as humanities, social sciences, and area studies.

Furthermore, because governance remains local or community-based, editorial practices can reflect linguistic and cultural contexts more authentically.

Quality and Credibility Considerations

Some critics question whether no-fee journals can maintain high standards. However, quality depends not on revenue model but on editorial rigor.

Diamond journals often implement robust peer review processes and adhere to international publishing standards. Indexing in recognized databases, transparent policies, and ethical guidelines reinforce credibility.

In fact, the absence of financial incentives tied to publication volume may reduce pressure to prioritize quantity over quality.

Policy Momentum and Strategic Investment

There is growing recognition among policymakers that Diamond Open Access requires coordinated support. International initiatives are exploring frameworks to map, fund, and strengthen Diamond journals worldwide.

For example, UNESCO has emphasized inclusive and non-commercial approaches to open science, aligning with the principles underlying Diamond publishing.

Strategic investment in shared infrastructure, training, and governance models could enable Diamond Open Access to scale sustainably.

Rather than replacing other models entirely, Diamond publishing may coexist alongside subscription and APC systems—diversifying the ecosystem and reducing systemic dependency on any single funding mechanism.

Rethinking Value in Academic Publishing

At its core, Diamond Open Access challenges prevailing assumptions about value in scholarly communication. If knowledge production is fundamentally a public endeavor—often publicly funded—then dissemination models should reflect that principle.

By centering academic communities rather than commercial intermediaries, Diamond journals reimagine publishing as a collaborative infrastructure service.

This shift reframes publishing not as a transactional exchange, but as a shared scholarly responsibility.

The Future of Community-Led Publishing

Looking ahead, the success of Diamond Open Access will depend on collective commitment. Institutions must recognize publishing as a core scholarly function worthy of direct support. Funders may need to allocate resources not only for research generation but also for dissemination infrastructure.

Technological innovation can further streamline operations, while international cooperation can enhance visibility and sustainability.

Diamond Open Access is not a quick fix to systemic challenges, but it represents a promising step toward a more equitable, scholar-centered publishing landscape.

In a world increasingly aware of the inequalities embedded in knowledge systems, community-led Diamond Open Access journals offer a vision grounded in accessibility, academic autonomy, and shared stewardship of research.