Exploring the impact of Pledge to Open
Since launching Pledge to Open in 2023, we’ve used the generous funding of 40 academic institutions to publish 58 open access books featuring 121 authors and editors from 28 different countries.
As one of the leading OA Book publishers in the world with over 3,000 OA books and 40,000+ chapters published so far, Taylor & Francis is well-positioned to ensure that these publications reach researchers, students, and curious minds across the world.
These partnerships demonstrate that collective funding can amplify research impact far beyond traditional publishing models.
We are very grateful to the 40 institutions and one consortium that have pledged to the program in the two years since launch.
Pledge to Open 2026
Our 2026 pledging program is now underway!
A brief history of Pledge to Open
Pledge to Open 2024: The pilot
Pledge to Open began as a pilot in July 2023, when we launched an ambitious vision to collectively fund the open access publication of 70 books from 7 collections inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The subject areas covered critical global challenges including Climate Change, Green Renewable Energy, Wellbeing and Mental Health, and Populism and Extremism.
Pledges were received from 24 institutions of varying size from multiple countries. 26 books were published open access including:
Creating Empowering Environments for People with Dementia
20,463 views and downloads
Accessed from 18 countries
Reached 57 institutions
State-Sponsored Disinformation Around the Globe
13,052 views and downloads
Accessed from 37 countries
Reached 133 institutions
Civil Engineering Innovations for Sustainable Communities with Net Zero Targets
7,886 views and downloads
Accessed from 32 countries
Reached 96 institutions
Measuring impact: Methodology and results
Following the 2024 program, we analysed 84 recently published research titles: 21 open access books from our pilot programs (published for at least four months) and 63 comparable non-OA books. Each OA book was matched with three non-OA titles of similar type, subject, and publication date, providing robust comparative data.
Our analysis showed that OA titles received 12 times as many views and downloads via taylorfrancis.com compared to similar non-OA titles in the first four months.
12x
Usage
Pledge to Open titles received, on average, 12 times more views and downloads via taylorfrancis.com compared to similar non-OA titles within the first four months of publication.
3.5x
Visibility
On average, Pledge to Open titles were accessed from three times more countries and 3.5 times more institutions than non-OA titles on taylorfrancis.com during the first four months after publication.
Pledge to Open 2025: The enhanced program
Building on the valuable feedback provided by stakeholders from the pilot program, the enhanced program launched in September 2024 with strategic improvements designed to maximize impact and accessibility.
New collections included issues of key global importance such as Artificial Intelligence, Children’s Health and Welfare, and Global Security. We introduced streamlined pricing for all collections, regardless of the amount of HSS or STEM content included and provided pledgers with access to 50 related books of their choosing for every collection they pledged to, from a longlist of 1,000 T&F books.
Pledging closed in September 2025 and funding was received from 24 institutions from 7 countries, including our first consortium pledger. We were especially pleased to see a number of institutions return as repeat pledgers, showing their ongoing commitment to the initiative, for which we are extremely grateful. This collective commitment enabled us to allocate funds to make 32 books open access – a 23% increase from the pilot program – unlocking vital research for global audiences.
Testimonial
“Thanks to the Open Access model, the visibility of our book has increased significantly. I have received messages from researchers and professionals across the globe – people I would not have reached through traditional channels. The wide international reach (across 36 countries and over 5100 accesses!) has not only enhanced the dissemination of our findings but also opened doors for new research collaborations and professional connections.”
Prof. Dr hab. Magdalena Kraczla, Business and Health Psychologist
Author of Management, Conflict Resolution and Strategy – Pledge to Open 2024 title
Pledge to Open 2026
Our 2026 pledging program is now underway as we continue to support the widest dissemination of important new research.