Publishing is one of Europe’s largest cultural industries, yet university presses and institutional publishers remain largely invisible in data, policy, and infrastructure debates. While commercial scholarly publishing is extensively documented, the diverse, non-profit, institutionally embedded publishing landscape is not.
To address this gap, AEUP launches a Europe-wide survey mapping university presses and other institutional publishers. The aim is to build a structured, evidence-based picture of how institutional publishing actually works across Europe: publishing profiles, workflows, governance and funding models, and approaches to Open Access with a particular focus on Diamond OA.
Why participate?
By taking part in the AEUP survey, you help make institutional publishing in Europe visible in data and policy discussions where it is currently underrepresented. Your contribution ensures that the diversity of publishing models, languages, disciplines, and Open Access practices is accurately reflected. The aggregated results will strengthen collective advocacy, inform infrastructure and policy development, and support future collaborations that benefit university presses and institutional publishers across Europe.
What happens after the survey?
After the data collection phase, AEUP will conduct a structured analysis of the aggregated survey results. The goal is not only to describe institutional publishing in Europe, but to make it more visible, comparable, and understandable, both within the community and for policy and infrastructure stakeholders.
An initial analysis will focus on publishing profiles, governance and funding models, workflows, and Open Access practices, with particular attention to Diamond OA. A first round of findings will be presented at the OPERAS 2026 & SCIROS Conference in May, offering an early snapshot of the European institutional publishing landscape.
Following this, AEUP will publish a summary report based on aggregated data only, ensuring that no individual press is identifiable. The results will be shared openly with participants and the wider community.
Beyond reporting, the survey will provide a foundational evidence base for future advocacy, policy discussions, and infrastructure development. By documenting the diversity of institutional publishing rather than promoting a single model, the mapping aims to support more nuanced, informed approaches to scholarly communication and sustainable Diamond Open Access in Europe.