JMIR & Witten/Herdecke University Partner for Open Access

(Toronto, September 18, 2025) JMIR Publications, the leading open-access digital health research publisher, and ZB Med, Germany’s national infrastructure and research hub for data and information in the life sciences, are pleased to announce that Witten/Herdecke University joined their Flat-Fee Unlimited Open Access Publishing Agreement. The addition of Witten/Herdecke to the consortia agreement was facilitated by Ulrike Weichern of KGL Accucoms.

“It was a pleasure to collaborate with the Witten/Herdecke University, JMIR and ZB Med on their common goal of further advancing the idea of open access and supporting researchers in making their scientific excellence internationally visible. As a new member of the consortium, the Witten/Herdecke University now has central access to all JMIR Publications journals, using their budget efficiently and at the same time helping to increase the international visibility of their research over the coming years by offering their corresponding authors unlimited publishing,” said Ulrike Wiechern, Regional Sales Manager DACH, KGL Accucoms.

Witten/Herdecke University is the third German institution to join the JMIR-ZB Med Agreement in 2025. For many years, JMIR’s institutional partnerships have reduced or eliminated financial barriers to open access publishing for researchers at dozens of partner institutions globally, demonstrating a tangible impact on open research dissemination. As an independent open access publisher, JMIR Publications is dedicated to making publishing more beneficial for researchers, ensuring their work reaches a wider audience without the barriers of Article Processing Fees (APCs). 

“The addition of Witten/Herdecke to our partnership with ZB Med is confirmation of the value provided by our Flat-Fee Unlimited Open Access Publishing offer,” said Dennis O’Brien, VP Communications and Partnerships at JMIR Publications. “Their decision to join provides the partnership with positive momentum going into the fall enrollment period.” 

This partnership is a leading example of ZB Med’s work to support life sciences researchers throughout the entire research cycle in accordance with the principles and practices of open science. For researchers affiliated with participating institutions, the flat-fee agreement eliminates Article Processing Charges (APCs), simplifying the publication process and removing financial barriers to open access publishing in JMIR’s portfolio of over 30 Gold Open Access journals.

The new partnership is in effect as of July 1, 2025, and covers publishing in all JMIR Publications journals through December 31, 2026.

About JMIR Publications

JMIR Publications is a leading open access publisher of digital health research and a champion of open science. With a focus on author advocacy and research amplification, JMIR Publications partners with researchers to advance their careers and maximize the impact of their work. As a technology organization with publishing at its core, we provide innovative tools and resources that go beyond traditional publishing, supporting researchers at every step of the dissemination process. Our portfolio features a range of peer-reviewed journals, including the renowned Journal of Medical Internet Research. To find out more about JMIR Publications, visit jmirpublications.com or connect with them on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

About ZB Med

ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences is Germany’s national infrastructure and research hub for data and information in the life sciences. Their digital services support research projects that benefit people and the environment: from medicine and biodiversity to environmental protection.

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