Jena, July 3, 2026 – The President of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Prof. Dr. Andreas Marx, took over the role of spokesperson for the nationwide DEAL Group on July 1, 2026, sustainably strengthening the national positioning of the Thuringian research location.
- Actor: Prof. Dr. Andreas Marx (President of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena)
- Position: Spokesperson for the nationwide DEAL Group
- Assumption of office: July 1, 2026
- Succession of: Prof. Dr. Günter Ziegler (President of the Freie Universität Berlin)
- Core task: Negotiation of Open Access framework agreements with global scientific publishers
A strong signal for the city of science, Jena
The assumption of this central role by Prof. Dr. Andreas Marx is a milestone for the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena. The fact that the leadership of one of Germany’s most important science policy negotiation commissions is being awarded to Jena underscores the high scientific reputation of the Saalestadt at the federal level. It also shows that Thüringen is actively involved in the strategic design of the digital information infrastructure in higher education.
In his new function, Marx will steer negotiations with the world’s largest publishers. The goal is to create sustainable framework conditions that enable German researchers to publish and read without restrictions. The continuous scientific excellence of the Universität Jena is evident not only in administration but also in the active exchange on-site – as was recently demonstrated during the high-profile lecture on the future of pensions at the Uni Jena.
🏛️ History & Buildings: What is the DEAL Group and why is Open Access so important?
The DEAL Group was founded on behalf of the Alliance of German Science Organizations. It represents hundreds of German universities, universities of applied sciences, and research institutions in joint negotiations with global publishing giants such as Elsevier, Springer Nature, or Wiley.
Previously, scientific libraries had to pay horrendous sums to subscribe to journals. At the same time, publishers often charged fees from the researchers themselves if they wanted to publish their results. Open Access negotiations (such as those of the DEAL Group) reverse this principle: Through so-called “Publish-and-Read” contracts, German researchers receive the right to make their articles directly accessible worldwide free of charge (Open Access), while the institutes pay a fair, bundled flat fee. This saves significant tax money and ensures that valuable knowledge for the public does not disappear behind paywalls.
Source:
University President takes over as spokesperson for the DEAL Group
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.