Springer Nature and CAPES Break Barriers in Brazil with Unlimited Transformative Agreement

The three-year agreement democratizes access for all CAPES-affiliated researchers, expected to make an average of 6,000 articles per year available Open Access (OA).

NEW YORK & BRASILIA, Brazil--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Springer Nature and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) announced on Tuesday the signing of a historic Transformative Agreement (TA) for Brazil, a milestone that strengthens Open Access (OA) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The contract will be valid from January 1, 2026, and will last for three years, allowing researchers from more than 400 institutions to read and publish in the Springer hybrid journals portfolio.

Key highlights:

• An average of 6,000 articles per year from more than 400 institutions will be published and made available Open Access;
• Reinforces Brazil’s pioneering leadership in promoting OA within its scientific community;
• Represents a significant commitment from both CAPES and Springer Nature to enable a sustainable TA framework.

Responsible for more than 50% of Latin America’s research output, according to government data, Brazil has continued to invest in Open Access. Given the country’s pivotal role in research across Latin America and the Caribbean, this agreement will have a significant impact on the visibility and growth of Brazilian scientific production, as well as improving accessibility. This new TA reaffirms the country’s tradition and Springer Nature’s vision of making scientific discovery accessible to all.

This agreement substantially expanded the pilot project Springer Nature and CAPES initially planned two years ago, which would have provided just 30% coverage. Through sustained collaboration and transparent dialogue over these two years, both parties have now created a model that reflects their shared goal of advancing Open Science in a sustainable and scalable way.

Carolyn Honour, Chief Commercial Officer for Springer Nature, stated: “Transformative agreements are among the most effective drivers of the OA transition, offering a structured and scalable approach that benefits researchers and institutions alike. Building on our relationship with CAPES, this deal is testament to our strong partnership and shared approach to finding achievable pathways, for all researchers and regions, to open science.”

Denise Pires de Carvalho, President of CAPES, added: “Brazil is responsible for more than half of Latin America’s scientific output, and ensuring quick access to this knowledge is a strategic priority. This agreement guarantees that researchers from more than 400 institutions can publish and read without limits, strengthening Brazil’s leadership position in Open Science. It is a decisive step for the region and global scientific collaboration.”

About Springer Nature

Springer Nature is one of the leading publishers of research in the world. We publish the largest number of journals and books and are a pioneer in open research. Through our leading brands, trusted for more than 180 years, we provide technology-enabled products, platforms and services that help researchers to uncover new ideas and share their discoveries, health professionals to stay at the forefront of medical science, and educators to advance learning. We are proud to be part of progress, working together with the communities we serve to share knowledge and bring greater understanding to the world. For more information, please visit about.springernature.com and @SpringerNature.

About CAPES

CAPES is an agency of the Ministry of Education of the Government of Brazil responsible for policies aimed at expanding and consolidating stricto sensu graduate programs and teacher education for basic education. The agency invests in master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral programs, both within the country and abroad, as well as in in-person and distance education for professionals already teaching or intending to work in preschool, primary, and secondary education schools. Approximately 200,000 scholarships are allocated for this audience. CAPES also conducts evaluations of stricto sensu graduate programs and promotes international cooperation. Additionally, it manages the Journals Portal, the primary Brazilian virtual collection that provides free access to national and foreign scientific information to a potential audience of six million users from 446 educational and research institutions.

Visit: https://www.gov.br/capes/pt-br.