MDPI Japan's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) Reaches 50 Registered Universities and Research Institutions in Japan

Academic publisher MDPI Japan (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo) is pleased to announce that its "Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)," an Article Processing Charge (APC) discount program for universities and research institutions, has reached 50 registered universities and research institutions in Japan as of April 1, 2026.

While the promotion of open access is desired, researchers' financial burden is increasing due to the depreciation of the yen and rising APCs, making cost reduction a challenge. IOAP can be introduced without financial burden on the institution depending on the participation model, and it generates little additional work, so more universities and research institutions are considering its adoption to promote open access publishing.

■ What is the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)?

IOAP is a program that allows researchers affiliated with participating universities and research institutions to receive APC discounts when publishing papers in MDPI journals. All MDPI journals are covered. For author-paid cases, invoices are issued to the author.

■ Key Features of IOAP

• Authors of papers accepted in MDPI journals, who are affiliated with participating institutions (as corresponding or co-authors), receive a 10% APC discount.

• Discounts can be combined with other discounts (e.g., peer review vouchers).

• The discount is automatically applied, eliminating the need for sequential tasks such as approval from university library staff. It can also be implemented in a way that does not incur new costs for the institution.

• A mechanism (dashboard) is provided to track the submission and acceptance status of affiliated researchers.

• Institutional Repository Linkage (optional): Settings can be configured to automatically deposit adopted papers' PDFs and metadata into institutional repositories using the SWORD 1.3 protocol.

• Related Service Discounts: A 10% discount on Book Processing Charges (BPC) for MDPI Books and a 15% discount on English language editing services are available.

■ Comment from MDPI Japan Representative

Izumi Yamamoto, Office Manager of MDPI Japan, stated:
"We are pleased to announce that IOAP has reached 50 registered institutions in Japan. IOAP is a mechanism that allows researchers to receive APC discounts without incurring costs or additional procedures for their institutions. We will continue to support the Japanese research community in creating an environment where necessary research results can be quickly disseminated."

■ Global Expansion of IOAP

IOAP is expanding globally, with over 1,000 registered institutions worldwide as of February 2026. It has spread to 59 countries, covering North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, including institutions like MIT, Imperial College London, Oxford University, Harvard University, and Cambridge University.