Open Access Policy

ACEE is a fully open access journal committed to immediate, unrestricted availability of its content upon publication. By adopting the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, ACEE ensures that published work may be freely read, shared, and reused with proper attribution.

Scope of Access

All articles are publicly accessible online without any subscription or login barrier. Users may download, share, and utilize content—across any platform—for any lawful purpose, provided the original authorship is credited appropriately.

Licensing Model

Under the CC BY 4.0 license, authors retain copyright while granting ACEE a non-exclusive license to publish and distribute their work. This model allows full reuse—adaptation, translation, redistribution, or commercial use—with proper attribution to the original author and journal.

Waivers & APCs

ACEE charges article processing fees (APCs) to support editorial and publishing operations. However, we uphold global equity by providing full or partial waivers for authors from low- and lower-middle‑income countries, ensuring no one is excluded due to financial barriers.

Rights Retention & Self‑Archiving

Authors are permitted to deposit either the accepted manuscript or the final published version in institutional or subject repositories immediately upon publication, thereby supporting broader discoverability and meeting funder or institutional mandates.

Metadata Transparency

ACEE assigns a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to every article and provides full, machine-readable metadata compliant with publishing standards. This enhances interoperability with indexing systems, repositories, and discovery platforms.

Mandate Compliance

Our licensing model, immediate open access, and metadata practices align with funder policies such as Plan S, NIH, and European Commission requirements, ensuring authors remain compliant with grant conditions and open science mandates.

Benefits to Stakeholders

  • For Authors: Greater visibility, enhanced citation potential, and mandate alignment.
  • For Readers: Immediate access without barriers, supporting global knowledge equity.
  • For Institutions/Funders: Assurance of transparent licensing, preservation, and rights retention.
  • For the Broader Research Ecosystem: Open availability fosters collaboration, innovation, and reproducible science.