There is an irony that is rarely discussed openly in the world of scientific publications: we want science to be accessible to everyone, but the system that allows it to be published costs a lot of money. When journals provide free access for readers, who pays for their operations? When journals charge authors for publication, can scientific openness still be called inclusive? And when universities reduce funding support, who will keep those journals alive?
This is the fruit of simalakama _open access_. If the journal does not charge publication fees, its operational sustainability can be threatened when institutional support weakens. If the journal imposes a _Article Processing Charge_ (APC), researchers who do not have publication funding can be excluded from the opportunity to publish their research results. If the journal chooses to depend on the institution’s budget, its sustainability is at risk when budget priorities change. There is no truly cost-free model. The only difference is who pays, how much of the burden is, and who ultimately bears the consequences.
The problem is that scientific openness is too often celebrated through one simple measure: articles can be read for free. In fact, reader access is only one side of the publication system. The other side is the ability of researchers to publish, the sustainability of publishing infrastructure, editorial independence, and the right of the public to reuse published knowledge. If only the first side is considered, we may be celebrating openness that is not necessarily fair.
Indonesia: Big Players, but Is the Ecosystem Safe?
Indonesia is not a fringe player in the development of open access journals. A DOAJ article published in April 2025 noted that in March 2025 there were 2,473 Indonesian journals indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). This number is equivalent to about 11.5 percent of all journals recorded in the directory. Indonesia was even above the United Kingdom, Brazil, and the United States in the number of indexed journals at that time.
This figure shows a remarkable development when compared to the findings of Irawan and colleagues (2018). Their research noted that in March 2017 there were 500 Indonesian journals in the DOAJ, and about 70 percent of them did not wear APC. In a span of about eight years, the number of indexed Indonesian journals increased almost fivefold. However, the growth in the number of journals does not automatically prove that the entire ecosystem is getting healthier, more quality, or more sustainable.
The same DOAJ data shows that 1,346 out of 2,473 Indonesian journals in March 2025 did not wear APCs, or about 54.4 percent. This figure is lower than the 70 percent proportion found by Irawan and colleagues in 2017. These differences are noteworthy, but should not be directly interpreted as evidence that Indonesian journals have massively switched to a paid model. Journal populations, index coverage, and fee policies may change during this period. The available data show a change in composition, not in itself explain the cause.
Complementary data from OpenAccessFinder with an October 2026 snapshot recorded 1,188 Indonesian journals that did not charge APC or other fees to authors. This figure shows that the no-cost model for authors and readers still holds an important position. However, the figure of 1,188 cannot be directly compared to 1,346 in 2025 to conclude that 158 journals have switched to paid. The definition of fees, update dates, changes in journal status, and data coverage need to be examined before such conclusions are made.
There are other facts that are more important than just numbers. According to the DOAJ, 2,132 out of 2,473 indexed Indonesian journals as of March 2025 operate through the domain of academic institutions’. ac.id‘. This shows the strong role of universities in supporting the open publishing ecosystem. Many Indonesian journals are not just products of the publishing business, but part of the academic infrastructure built by universities, scientific associations, and journal management communities.
This is where a more serious question arises. If most of the ecosystem relies on academic institutions, what happens when funding support, managers, and infrastructure are no longer adequate? Who will guarantee the sustainability of the journal when its managers work with limited resources? And if the answer is APC, will researchers who do not have financial support get the same opportunity?
This question cannot be answered simply by counting the number of indexed journals. Quantitative growth needs to be accompanied by an examination of the sustainability of financing, editorial quality, license openness, and the ability of journals to serve the scientific community in the long term.
#openaccess
#DOAJ
#APC
#ikafarihahhentihu