NTU launches NORA and updated publications policy in major step forward for open research

Together, NORA and the Publications Policy will create a clearer and more consistent route for sharing research and scholarly outputs openly, supporting NTU’s Open Research ambitions and aligning the University with wider sector efforts to improve access to publicly funded research.

Designed to make NTU research and scholarly outputs more visible, accessible and discoverable worldwide, NORA provides a new repository where staff and postgraduate researchers can share work openly and manage outputs more easily. Developed through Worktribe, the repository supports a wide range of outputs and helps knowledge reach audiences beyond academia, including industry, policymakers, community organisations and the public.

NORA makes NTU research easier to discover and access by ensuring outputs are indexed by major search services such as Google and Google Scholar. This means journal articles, conference papers, reports, datasets and other scholarly materials can appear alongside published literature in online searches, making them more visible to researchers, collaborators and prospective partners worldwide. By removing access barriers, the repository helps readers without subscription access engage with NTU research, extending its reach to wider audiences.

Likewise, the updated Publications Policy, introduced at the same time, aligns NTU publishing practice with Open Access requirements and supports authors to share their work more openly and consistently through the new repository.

The revised policy also better reflects the full breadth of research produced across the university, recognising outputs from journal articles and reports to practice-based work and teaching-related scholarship. A key change is the introduction of Rights Retention for journal articles and conference proceedings, which allows authors to retain sufficient rights over accepted manuscripts and make them openly available through NORA immediately on publication. This supports compliance with open access requirements while preserving academic choice, enabling researchers to publish in their preferred venues while sharing their work legally, confidently and without unnecessary embargo delays.

Jane Bonnell, Library’s Academic Engagement Team Manager: Open Research, said:

"Rights Retention is important because it empowers authors to make informed publishing decisions without losing the ability to share their work openly. It protects academic freedom by supporting researchers to publish where they judge best, while ensuring their accepted manuscripts can still be made available through NORA for wider access and visibility."

Together, the launch of NORA and the updated policy make it easier for authors to share work legally, openly and effectively, strengthening NTU’s position as a university committed to openness, accessibility and research impact.

Explore NORA and read more about Open Research at Nottingham Trent University.