New Open Access Model for ICPS: Frequently Asked Questions

Does the new model apply to all conference proceedings published by ACM?

Currently, the new model applies only to conferences published in the ACM International Conference Proceedings Series (ICPS). Conferences that are directly sponsored or co-sponsored by ACM will transition to fully Open Access publication in January 2026.

When will the new model be implemented?

The new open access (OA) publishing model for ICPS applies to all conferences for which the formal Call for Papers was posted on the conference website on or after January 1, 2024. Conferences for which the CFP was posted prior to January 1, 2024 will follow the old model for ICPS for 2024, but will be required to transition to the new model for 2025. All conferences taking place in 2025 and onward are required to follow the new OA model.

What is the difference between the new and old models?

• In the old model, ACM charged production fees to conference organizers (as described here), but no publication fees were charged to individual authors. Papers were not published OA unless the organizers selected one of the paid OA options for ICPS.
• In the new model, no production fees or optional open access fees will be charged to organizers, and all new articles from those conferences will be published OA in the ACM Digital Library. Corresponding authors whose institutions participate in the ACM Open program and others who are granted waivers will be able to publish their papers OA at no charge. Other authors will be required to pay an article processing charge (APC). Full details of applicable waivers and APCs are provided here.

I am the organizer of a conference, and plan to apply for publication in ICPS. Where can I find further information on how the changes may affect my conference planning?

Please refer to the detailed Guidance for Conference Organizers.

I am the author of a paper that I plan to submit to an ICPS conference. Where can I find further information on how the changes may affect my publishing plans?

Please refer to the detailed Guidance for Conference Authors.

Why is ACM changing to an Open Access publishing model for ICPS?

The change to an Open Access (OA) model for ICPS is a major step in ACM’s journey toward fully OA publication of all content on the ACM Digital Library (DL). This is a precursor to ACM’s comprehensive shift to OA for its entire conference and journals program, which we expect to complete by December 2025. Our rationale for the “OA flip” is as follows:

• The computer science community has expressed overwhelming support for open access to research publications.
• According to ACM’s publication data, OA articles are downloaded and cited roughly 70% more frequently, on average, than those behind a paywall, and so this is a significant benefit for individual authors and for computer science research in general.
• The OA transition is an important part of ACM’s response to government mandates requiring open publication of the results of taxpayer-supported research.
• A significant (and increasing) proportion of ICPS authors will be covered by their institution’s membership of the ACM Open program, and therefore will not have to pay article processing charges (APCs).

ACM will be the first major computer science publisher transitioning to a fully OA model for all its research publications, and we expect others to follow.

If I have questions or concerns about the new model, how should I contact ACM?

If you have any questions about the new ICPS model, please do not hesitate to write to us at [email protected].