Open access agreement for South Africa, Botswana & Namibia

Information for authors

If you’re affiliated with a participating SANLiC institution, the University of Botswana, or the University of Namibia, the SANLiC Transformative Agreement means you can publish your article open access with fees covered, in Springer Nature's portfolio of hybrid journals.

In addition, you can enjoy full access to all Springer, Adis, Palgrave and Academic Journals subscription journal content. Established by SANLiC, this agreement will run through 31 December 2025.

Read the author guide to learn more

Annoucement on 2023 article allowance

Please note that for 2023, the University of Botswana which is part of the SANLIC transformative agreement has reached its maximum article allowance. This means the agreement is no longer covering OA publishing fees for the University of Botswana until further notice.

If you are an author affiliated with the University of Botswana, the option to publish open access via Springer Open Choice is still available to you, but the publishing fee will not be covered under the SANLIC agreement until 01 January 2024. Authors should use alternative funding sources in order to publish open access or proceed with publication under subscription until the agreement is reactivated. If you need advice on what open access funding is available to you, please visit our funding & support service page. For more information, please contact oa.verification@springernature.com. Alternatively, contact the open access team at your institution.

Learn more about your eligibility

Participating institutions
(PDF, 93.37 KB)

Publishing open access in a hybrid journal

This agreement covers open access publications in Springer, Palgrave & Adis hybrid journals on SpringerLink, and Academic Journals on Nature.com.

Eligible journals
(XLSX, 127.56 KB)

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FAQs

Who is considered the corresponding author?

The corresponding author is defined as the person who handles the manuscript and correspondence during the publication process – from manuscript correction and proof reading, to handling the revisions and re-submission of revised manuscripts up to the acceptance of the manuscripts.

The corresponding author has the authority to act on behalf of all co-authors in all matters pertaining to publication of the manuscript including supplementary material. They are also responsible for obtaining such agreements and for informing the co-authors of the manuscript’s status throughout the submission, review and publication process.

In addition, the corresponding author acts as the point of contact for any enquiries after the paper is published. No changes in the corresponding authorship shall be accepted after the approval of an article to be published OA under the deal.

How can I make sure my article is eligible?

When you submit, use at least one of the below methods of recognition.

methods of recognition © Springer Nature 2021

Upon acceptance of your article, you'll also be prompted to provide your institutional affiliation.

How do I know if my article has been approved?

The approval manager at your institution will approve your article's eligibility based on your institutional affiliation, article type and journal name.

Once your article is approved, you will be notified by email and your article will proceed to publication.

Which article types are covered by this agreement?

  • Original Paper: Standard article, usually presenting new results; articles published under this article type may also be referred to as Original Research, Original Article, Original Paper or Research Paper.
  • Review Paper: Standard article, interpreting previously published results.
  • Brief Communication: Short article submitted for rapid publication that exhibits the same structure as a standard article.
  • Continuing Education: Article forming integral part of further education (usually medical).

What if I'm not covered by the agreement?

There are still plenty of ways to find funding for your article processing charge (APC). Visit our open access funding page to check whether your institution or research funder makes OA funding available.

Who can I contact for more information? 

Please email us at oa.verification@springernature.com if you need further assistance.