KUALA LUMPUR, 3 September 2025 – UTM Library, in collaboration with Springer Nature, successfully organized the second round of the workshop Springer TA Explained 2.0: How to Publish Without Paying a Cent. The session, held in hybrid mode at UTM Library Kuala Lumpur and streamed online via Webex with 183 participants including academics, researchers, and postgraduate students. The strong turnout reflected the growing importance of discussions surrounding publication costs and open access in today’s research community.
The workshop focused on how the Springer Transformative Agreement (TA) enables UTM researchers to publish their articles in Springer journals without incurring Article Processing Charges (APCs). This initiative represents a major step towards reducing financial barriers in scholarly publishing, thereby providing researchers with greater opportunities to share their work internationally and make a meaningful impact.
Two representatives from Springer Nature were invited to share their expertise: Mr. Kent Yeap, Licensing Manager, Institutional Sales, and Miss Xian Toh, Account Development Manager, Southeast Asia. The speakers explained the mechanics of the TA, practical steps for authors, and how institutions benefit from the agreement. They also highlighted Springer Nature’s longstanding commitment to open science, a movement to make research freely accessible worldwide. “We have been championing openness and innovation for more than 20 years,” Ms. Toh shared. “Through agreements like this, we want to make publishing simpler, fairer, and more impactful for everyone.”
The Q&A session proved to be one of the most engaging parts of the event, with participants showing keen interest in clarifying eligibility requirements, journal coverage, institutional quotas, and the extent to which postgraduate students can benefit from the agreement. These discussions reflected a genuine determination among researchers to maximize the opportunities presented by the Springer TA.
The workshop closed on an optimistic note, with participants expressing gratitude to UTM Library for making the often complex process of publishing more approachable and transparent. Many left inspired to seize this new opportunity, with one attendee summing it up perfectly: “Knowledge must be shared, not locked behind paywalls. With the Springer TA, that vision is now closer to reality.”
