The University of East London is committed to and supports open access to its research publications. There is a worldwide move towards free and unrestricted access to research publications, with benefits for researchers, universities and wider society. UEL supports this initiative and recognises the importance of open access in increasing the visibility and impact of research. This policy is aligned with and supports HEFCE’s Policy for Open Access in the Post‐2014 REF, and is aligned with the open access requirements of research funding bodies. Research publications created by UEL staff will therefore be made available on an open access basis wherever possible. This policy was adopted by the Research & Knowledge Exchange Committee on 12th January 2016.