Open access theses and dissertations: current status and perspectives

Abstract

Purpose There is an inclination towards openness in research greatly supported by the accessibility of open access theses and dissertations (OATDs) from many universities and research institutions through institutional repositories or collaborative efforts like the OATD.org. This study aims to explore different trends in the availability of theses through OATD.org to assess different dimensions concerning the OATD landscape. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted to examine the availability of theses from 1994 to June 2023. The indexed theses were analyzed for their incorporation into OATD.org during different time frames. The data were further analyzed to reveal different facts concerning OATDs, with a focus on their growth and evolving trends. Findings OATDs are fast becoming available globally, with a significant overall growth rate. The data depicts growing trends in almost all the identified time frames, with the highest during 2004–2008. Moreover, there is a significant gap in the availability of OATDs from different geographical domains, with the highest-indexed OATDs from developed countries, indicating that the OATD landscape is still in its infancy in developing nations. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the coverage encompassed by the OATD.org portal, which is the best and most significant resource for finding OATDs published worldwide. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first ordered and thorough attempt to explore the trends in the availability of OATDs through OATD.org.