Open Access Statement
The Annals of Civil and Environmental Engineering (ACEE) adheres to the core tenets of open access as defined by the Budapest Open Access Initiative, the Bethesda Statement, and OASPA’s Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. Our journal provides immediate, free access to all published content, enabling universal dissemination and reuse under permissive licensing.
Accessibility & Licensing
All ACEE articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license, granting readers the right to read, download, copy, distribute, and build upon the work for any responsible purpose—so long as appropriate credit is given. This aligns with Plan S and OASPA expectations for immediate and unrestricted sharing of research outputs.
No Access Barriers
ACEE does not impose any access fees or subscription requirements. Readers worldwide can access full-text articles without registration or payment. Our model supports global equity in knowledge, particularly in resource-limited regions.
Author Rights & Self‑Archiving
Authors retain copyright ownership and grant ACEE a non-exclusive license to publish. Authors are free to deposit their accepted manuscript or publisher’s version in institutional or subject repositories immediately upon publication, in accordance with the Bethesda Statement.
Funding & Equity
While ACEE does charge article processing charges (APCs), we are committed to equity and inclusion. We offer full waivers or discounts for authors from low‑ or lower‑middle‑income regions. APC information is transparent, with costs and waiver policies clearly stated on our platform, fulfilling Plan S requirements.
Metadata & Discoverability
ACEE ensures that each article is assigned a DOI via CrossRef, and full metadata conforms to JATS XML standards to support machine readability, discoverability, and data interoperability across indexing systems.
Alignment with Global Open Access Principles
By fully embracing CC BY licensing, immediate open access, and transparent policies, ACEE aligns with OASPA, DOAJ, and funder mandates such as Plan S and NIH/European Commission open access policies.
Benefits to Stakeholders
- For Authors: Maximal visibility, citation potential, and compliance with funding mandates.
- For Readers: Unrestricted access to cutting‑edge research without paywalls or registration.
- For Institutions and Funders: Assurance of transparent costs, archival permanence, and ethical publishing practices.
- For Global Equity: Removes access barriers, giving researchers in all regions the same ability to engage with ACEE’s content.