Springer Nature Launches Open Access Support for Apollo Researchers
The Apollo University, Chittoor, successfully hosted the Launch of Springer Nature (Open Access) APC Assistance Scheme followed by an Author Journey Webinar on 9th October 2025 in an online event. The event was a significant milestone in the university chapter in promoting research excellence, quality publications and open access knowledge dissemination.
This initiative, envisioned and driven by Prof. Dr. H. Vinod Bhat, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, The Apollo University fulfills a long-awaited aspiration of developing a strong research culture at the Campus. It aims to empower faculty members, scholars, and students by enabling cost-free access to global open-access publishing under the Springer Nature Fully Open Access (FOA) Agreement through AHERF.
The event sought to introduce the Springer Nature Open Access Assistance Scheme to researchers and faculty members and explain the workflow and eligibility for publishing without Article Processing Charges (APCs) under AHERF. The workshop followed after the launch guided researchers in identifying high-quality journals and managing publication processes effectively. The launch was a real encouragement for the faculty and scholars to produce high-impact, internationally recognized research outputs.
The inaugural session was led by the Apollo leadership. Prof. Usha Adiga (Associate Dean, Research, AIMSR, Chittoor) opened the event with a brief welcome address and set the tone for the session, emphasizing the importance of open-access publishing in today’s academic landscape. Prof. Dr. H. Vinod Bhat (Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, The Apollo University) delivered the keynote address, highlighting the University’s ongoing efforts to nurture a robust research environment and remove financial barriers to publication. He described the collaboration with Springer Nature as a turning point in the institutional research ecosystem, which a model he adopted and tested in MAHE, Manipal and was successful where he was the Vice Chancellor before taking charge at TAU. The model was fruitful and was a great sucess in terms of quality research publications thereby making international publication more accessible to all.
Mr. Sivaramakrishnan Venkateswaran (CEO, Apollo Knowledge) in his address underscored the role of digital knowledge infrastructure and research enablement across the Apollo Knowledge ecosystem and how important is research for a university. He commented that AKC campus has done notably well and as a budding university, TAU has already set a benchmark in research and publications. Dr. Muralidharan Manikesi (DME, Apollo Hospitals) reflected on how medical and interdisciplinary research can now gain wider visibility and contribute to policy, innovation, and patient care. Prof. Ravi Mahajan CBE (Director, Apollo Research Academy, Apollo Hospitals) provided insights into the strategic vision behind the partnership, encouraging researchers to engage this platform for collaborative and impactful research.
The session concluded with a Vote of Thanks, extending gratitude to all dignitaries, the Springer Nature team, and participants for their contribution to making the event a success. The second segment of the event featured a Webinar for Researchers and Authors conducted by the Springer Nature team, focusing on the theme: “How to Publish Open Access Without Costs (APCs) to Authors Under AHERF.”
The webinar provided in-depth insights into the following aspects regarding the Overview of the Fully Open Access (FOA) Agreement — including its duration, journal coverage, and eligibility under the AHERF partnership, Step-by-step workflow for authors to ensure APC coverage and successfully publish under the scheme, Demonstration of the Springer Nature Journal Finder Tool, which assists authors in selecting the most appropriate journals for their manuscripts and a Dedicated Q&A Session — participants actively engaged with Springer Nature experts, raising queries related to manuscript preparation, journal selection, and ethical publication practices.
The interactive format of the webinar ensured that faculty and research scholars gained practical understanding and confidence in navigating the publication process. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from faculty members, research scholars, and postgraduate students from across the Schools of TAU, Departments of AIMSR, Chittoor and Hyderabad, Nursing Colleges of AHERF. Participants appreciated the session’s clarity on the publication support mechanisms available through the Springer Nature–AHERF collaboration.
The Q&A session drew keen interest, with queries focusing on eligibility, impact factor assessment, plagiarism policies, and open-access ethics. The Springer Nature team commended the research interest and expressed their continued support in guiding its researchers. The launch of the Springer Nature Open Access APC Assistance Scheme represents a major stride in democratizing research publication at The Apollo University. Through this initiative the researchers gain access to over 2,000 high-impact open-access journals without incurring publication charges and faculty members are encouraged to publish in reputed, peer-reviewed journals, enhancing institutional reputation and global reach.