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MaxIT and DEAS Sign Support Agreement

A researcher in Nairobi reads the latest study by a colleague in Munich—without a journal subscription, without paying for it. A student in Colombia can directly download the research findings of a Japanese team to cite them in his own publication: Easy access to scientific publications worldwide—that is the vision behind “OA Forward.” Max Planck Information & Technology (MaxIT) and DEAL Open Access Services (DEAS) gGmbH have now signed an agreement to support this international initiative.

International Initiative for Free Access to Scientific Publications

OA Forward brings together key activities of the Open Access initiative OA2020 and the infrastructure platform ESAC (Efficiency and Standards for Article Charges). The initiative supports research institutions worldwide in better coordinating investments in scientific publishing, increasing transparency in the publication market, and strengthening the collective bargaining power of the scientific community vis-à-vis international publishers.

“With OA2020, the Max Planck Society has played an important role in the international transformation of the scientific publishing system,” says Dr. Oliver Zeiler, IT Executive Director of MaxIT. “With OA Forward, this work is now being placed on a broader institutional footing. MaxIT remains a key partner, providing strategic support for further development.”

Christian Agi (DEAS) and Dr. Oliver Zeiler (MaxIT)

The Max Planck Society as a Driver of the International Open Access Transformation

Through the OA2020 initiative, the Max Planck Society has made a significant contribution to advancing the transition to Open Access worldwide. The initiative brought together an international network of research institutions and, for the first time, created a coordinated platform through which institutions could align their strategies for engaging with scientific publishers.

Formats such as the Berlin Open Access Conferences, as well as joint initiatives with international partners, including cOAlition S, have strengthened international exchange between research institutions, policymakers, and publishers and accelerated the transformation of the publishing system.

“With OA2020, the Max Planck Society has created a community that brings the experience and cohesion needed to transform even fundamental aspects of scholarly publishing in the interest of the scientific community,” says Christian Agi, Managing Director of DEAL Open Access Services (DEAS). “OA Forward will build on this foundation and continue the proven, cooperative approach.”

The practical implementation of this strategy was carried out in particular by the Max Planck Digital Library (MPDL), part of MaxIT. Through new negotiation models and shared infrastructures, the traditional supply of scientific literature to research institutions has been further developed: Instead of exclusively funding access to scientific literature, many agreements today enable the open publication of scientific results.

This development has permanently transformed the scientific publishing system. There are now more than 1,500 open-access publishing agreements in over 70 countries worldwide, covering more than one million scientific articles annually, which has enabled research institutions in Germany alone to save hundreds of millions of euros in recent years.

Global Impact Through Joint Funding

MaxIT is participating in the implementation of “OA Forward” over a four-year period. The total cost amounts to approximately 1.2 million euros. The goal is to use comparatively limited funds to strengthen an international coordination structure that supports the transition to open publication models in the long term.

About Max Planck Information & Technology (MaxIT)

Max Planck Information & Technology (MaxIT) consolidates the central IT and information infrastructures of the Max Planck Society. The organization supports the institutes of the Max Planck Society in the digital transformation of research and administration, as well as in the development and provision of modern information and data infrastructures. This also includes the strategic advancement of services and infrastructures in the field of scientific communication and open access.

About DEAL Open Access Services (DEAS) gGmbH

As a non-profit organization, DEAL Open Access Services (DEAS) gGmbH strengthens science and research in Germany by ensuring access to open-access publication services and scientific literature. It provides the infrastructure to support research institutions, libraries, and publishers throughout Germany in implementing appropriate, transformative models.

Its shareholders are key organizations within the German research system, including the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Fraunhofer Society, the Helmholtz Association, the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), the Leibniz Association, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Max Planck Society (MPG), the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), and the Technical Information Library (TIB).

Since the beginning of 2026, scientists at the Max Planck Society can count on even more support: Max Planck Information and Technology (MaxIT) was launched on January 1. To this end, two institutions of the Max Planck Society were merged: the Information and Communication Technology Department of the General Administration and the Max Planck Digital Library (MPDL).

The newly created central institution of the Max Planck Society offers numerous research-supporting and administration-related information and IT services.

IT Executive Director Dr. Oliver Zeiler heads MaxIT: "Our message to Max Planck researchers is: 'We've got your back!'. For example, we take care of software licenses, negotiate open access agreements with scientific publishers, analyze large amounts of data, and provide tools that make work in the lab and at the offce desk easier. We also take care of IT solutions for office workstations and administrative processes. This combination is unique!"

The founding of Max Planck Information and Technology is part of the Max Planck Society's IT strategy, which emphasizes the growing importance of information technology in all areas of research. MaxIT is in close contact with the administrative management, libraries, and IT departments of all Max Planck Institutes, the Max Planck Computing and Data Facility (MPCDF), the Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum (DKRZ), and the Gesellschaft für wissenschafltiche Datenverarbeitung mbH (GWDG).

Dr. Oliver Zeiler emphasizes: "We are a very versatile institution, not purely an IT operation. That's why it's called ‘Information and Technology’. We handle the entire provision of scientific literature (Literaturgrundversorgung), we are rethinking processes with the help of artificial intelligence, and our team consists of experts from a wide variety of fields. At MaxIT, a biologist works alongside a linguist, and next door, a librarian works with an SAP professional. Thanks to this diversity, we can meet researchers at the Max Planck Institutes on an equal footing and provide them with optimal support."

Operational IT security is also the responsibility of Max Planck Information and Technology. Overall, MaxIT covers a wide range of topics. 2026 will be a year of new beginnings: the newly created team is eager to develop and offer digital tools and services as well as innovative solutions. Artificial intelligence will play a central role in the future in the further development of services, the automation of processes, and the support of scientific workflows.

The bundling of information, technology, and IT expertise will create new synergies—between research and administration, between central facilities and institutes, and between people with very different professional backgrounds.

MaxIT sees itself as a reliable partner, catalyst, and enabler for a sustainable, digitally sovereign Max Planck Society. Previous contractual partners of the Max Planck Digital Library can continue to rely on good cooperation: new name, same service - MPDL is part of Max Planck Information and Technology. Contracts with publishers remain unchanged, and the familiar contact persons will also remain the same.

More info:

Max Planck Information and Technology website: www.maxit.mpg.de

Munich, Tübingen, July 10th, 2024

The Max Planck Digital Library has concluded a groundbreaking agreement with the renowned publisher Mohr Siebeck to ensure support for Open Access publications for scientists at the Max Planck Institutes. Under this agreement, the MPDL will cover the additional costs incurred by publishing in Open Access for monographs and edited volumes in which researchers from the Max Planck Society and its institutes are involved.  

This cooperation has been in force since May 31, 2024, has a term of three years and applies to all projects that are accepted for publication by the publisher within the term. It makes an important contribution to the free accessibility of scientific findings, which significantly improves the visibility and exchange of research results. 

Applications for funding can be submitted directly to the publisher Mohr Siebeck. The publisher then forwards the applications to the MPDL for review. This ensures that the process runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible for the researchers. 

Further information and details on how to apply can be obtained directly from the publisher Mohr Siebeck. 

Ádám Dér, Head of the Scientific Information Provision at the Max Planck Digital Library, remarks: “We are thrilled with the constructive and forward-thinking partnership with Mohr Siebeck in expanding our support for Max Planck researchers working in the humanities and social sciences. This new agreement not only ensures our authors’ monograph works will enjoy the enhanced visibility and reach offered by open access, but also underscores the importance of developing new models for long-form scholarship.” 

László Simon-Nanko, Head of Sales and Customer Service at Mohr Siebeck, emphasizes: “With this initiative, Mohr Siebeck underlines its commitment to Open Access and to making scholarly works freely and widely available. We look forward to a successful cooperation with the MPDL and are convinced that this agreement will provide a positive impetus for the scientific community.” 

Contact 

For the Max Planck Digital Library: 
Tina Planck 
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For Mohr Siebeck: 
László Simon-Nanko 
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