International Labour Review to become open access

GENEVA (ILO News) - The International Labour Review (ILR), one of the leading publications covering global work and employment issues, is moving to open access. The ILR, which is published by the International Labour Organization, will be available via the online Open Library of Humanities (OLH) from March 2025.

Established in 1921 by the ILO's Governing Body, the ILR is a peer-reviewed and multidisciplinary journal that has become a leading platform for advancing academic research and informing policy debates on global work and employment issues. Since its inception, the ILR has built a strong reputation for disseminating high-quality scholarly articles, expert analysis and timely updates on labour-related developments.

The decision to partner with OLH, an open-access publisher, aligns with the ILR's mission to make research on labour standards, institutions and the world of work more accessible and engaging for a global audience. It will also strengthen the ILR's role as an essential resource for researchers, policymakers and practitioners, enabling them to engage more easily with the latest developments in the field of work and employment.

The move will also allow the ILR to eliminate article processing charges (APC fees) for submissions, while providing free digital access to all published articles, including those from its archive.

"Our collaboration with the Open Library of Humanities will not only uphold the ILR's tradition of excellence but also open new doors for knowledge sharing and exchange, enhancing accessibility for authors and readers worldwide," said Aristea Koukiadaki, Managing Editor of the ILR.

The ILR editorial team prides itself on a mission that champions diversity, inclusivity, and scholarly rigor. Comprised of experts from various parts of the world, the team brings a rich array of perspectives to the table, ensuring that the research published not only meets the highest standards of academic excellence but also reflects the diverse realities of labor issues globally.

'Working with the ILR editorial team, you can see how important it is that research on work and employment is free to access. But also, just as important, that this research is free for authors to publish - without encountering barriers to publication because profit-making publishers impose article publishing costs. So many academic journals are vital to communities beyond the academy - in the case of ILR, this includes the various stakeholders that support ILO's work, including governments, worker and employer representatives, professionals and civil society organisations that focus on decent work and social justice, said Dr. Caroline Edwards, executive director of OLH.

For more information visit the International Labour Review website and explore the ILR's new home on the Open Library of Humanities platform.