The HSU research repository is maintained by the Library and Learning Services Team. It is part of the GuildHE research repositories and showcases the work of HSU researchers, making it freely available online. We are facilitating open access to research by providing a place for all to discover and access knowledge.
The Institutional Repository is also a great way of finding out about the research undertaken at HSU. You can browse the repository by author, subject, date published, etc. This can help you to identify potential internal collaborators for your research.
An embargo period is a set amount of time during which access to the full text of a research output is restricted by the publisher. A version of the paper, usually the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) can still be added to the repository during this time as a ‘closed’ deposit.
Embargo periods vary by publisher and journal. They are often 6, 12 or 24 months depending on the discipline.
For outputs to be eligible for REF 2029, the maximum embargo length for Panels A and B is currently 12 months, although this will change to 6 months at the beginning of 2026. For Panels C and D, the maximum is currently 24 months, and will change to 12 months at the beginning of 2026.
Why it happens: Many publishers require an embargo to protect subscription revenue while still allowing eventual open access.
Length: Embargo periods vary by publisher and journal. They are often 6, 12, or 24 months, depending on the discipline.
After the embargo: Once the period ends, the deposited version (usually the author’s accepted manuscript) becomes freely available for anyone to read and download.
Once your research output has been accepted for publication, email repository@aecc.ac.uk to request that it is added to the Institutional Repository.
If your article is open access, send a link to the PDF version. If your article is not open access, send us the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM). We will check the publisher's policy to find out which version of your manuscript can be added to the repository. If you're not sure, send us what you have and we'll check and let you know if we need a different version.
To be eligible for REF 2029, articles should be added to the repository within 3 months of the date of acceptance for publication. After 1st January 2026, this will change to within 3 months the date of publication.
When you email us your article, please include the article’s acceptance date — this helps us process your deposit more efficiently.
