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The University of Westminster Press provides its authors a high-quality open access publication route for journals, edited books, policy briefs and single-author monographs and, where possible with accompanying data. Our aim with our academic publishing is to achieve the widest and most cost-effective possible dissemination of research via a transparent multi-format medium. Open access is central to what we do: it ensures that the potential audience is greatly expanded, helping to increase the impact of research and encourage the development of further research and collaboration. Via the Ubiquity Press platform linking to a range of online retailers across the world we also offer readers the option of purchasing in our books in print at the lowest affordable prices.
Reflecting the University of Westminster’s own research traditions we aim to publish in many subjects within social sciences and humanities, media arts and design, business, science and technology and architecture/the built environment. Interdisciplinary submissions are particularly welcome. Within these strands Digital and Social Media Studies, Critical Legal Studies, Twentieth Century History, Politics, Education and the Creative Industries have been the focus of particular attention so far.
Please first consult our submission guidelines for books and journals, then contact the Press Manager r.baggaley@westminster.ac.uk with your book or journal proposal. He will be in touch shortly afterwards concerning the review process.
Peer review is undertaken for all UWP publications. They are considered by expert advisers, our editorial board (which includes representation from the University's Ethics Committees) and our staff. Our editors and our publications follow the recommended guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
UWP content is published within the framework of Creative Commons Licenses, which guarantees that copyright remains with authors and editors. Full attribution is required under the terms of this license to accompany all reuse and dissemination. The standard license UWP uses for our journals is CC-BY, (though our book titles are published CC-BY-NC-ND) which ensures maximum distribution and minimum restrictions for reuse within reasonable limits, whilst guaranteeing that the author(s) and the source of the content are always acknowledged and book authors are consulted about translations and external rights reuse.
All of our book publications are available free of charge to anyone, anywhere in the world. UWP books are produced for reading via the following formats:
In addition to our own website, uwestminsterpress.co.uk, all UWP published and distributed book titles are now available via JSTOR (www.jstor.org) and OAPEN (www.oapen.org)
OAPEN (www.oapen.org/content/metadata) makes available metadata for cataloguing of all out published UWP book titles via ONIX (3.0)- XML, as MARC records and in other formats, shortly after publication.
In print our titles are produced to demand from the outset or after a sustainable first print run using professional typesetters via high quality printing methods and to academic publishing industry standards. Books are distributed globally via a variety of internet sales channels.
Print copies of UWP books can be ordered direct by readers from numerous online retailers (see tabs on individual book pages on our website). Book trade orders and customers can also be set up via an account with Ingrams at www.ingramcontent.com/publishers/lp/introducingipage
Supported by the University Library, UWP currently offers funding for a limited number of books in certain formats that match our editorial strategy for authors based at Westminster University and also for external authors responding to one of our regular calls for book submissions. For full details on a specific title contact r.baggaley@westminster.ac.uk. Otherwise we charge third parties (funders and organisations) a Book Processing Charge (BPC) for our publishing services that ensures that we can make our publications available to a global audience free of charge. Our intention is to keep charge as low as possible. BPCs are always calculated on the specific features of each book, primarily (but not limited to) extent, use of complex features and design. Academic institutions and funding bodies will often have funds specifically available for open access publications. See this page. For further information and advice contact: r.baggaley@westminster.ac.uk.
Book proposals should be written in accordance with our submission guidelines (or those of specific calls for submissions) that should be consulted before submission (See Books). Manuscripts may also be submitted and will be considered as promptly as possible. If a submission meets our guidelines UWP will send the proposal to relevant advisers for an assessment of whether the proposal meets its scholarly objectives and would suit UWP's publishing programme and the proposer's needs. If you have any concerns whether your proposal might or might not be suitable for publication by UWP please contact UWP via r.baggaley@westminster.ac.uk. Peer reviews and author's responses to these form the basis for a recommendation to accept, reject or request a revision of the proposed project. Assuming a proposal follows UWP's guidelines for submission the decision to accept or reject the proposal is made by members of the UWP editorial board. When a proposal is accepted the author is sent a contract by UWP for consideration and signature. UWP will discuss its plans for publication with the author who may be required to submit a publicity and marketing form or later update the information provided at proposal stage..
When a revised or full-length manuscript is completed by the author a second peer review process is usually undertaken by independent, expert, external reviewers. If the reviews recommend proceeding with the manuscript, the author may still be requested to make revisions based on their recommendations or the script may be given the green light to move on to production.
UWP oversee the next stages where a book is designed, typeset and subject to formatting checks. If language editing or an index are needed, these will be discussed and agreed with the author and completed for an additional fee. On publication the book is made available online for ordering and is publicised by UWP and project authors.
The University Library supports a limited number of journals edited by Westminster University staff or involving them but external contributors submitting to these are not charged for their contributions. Otherwise UWP levies Article Processing Charges (APCs) for our publishing services to third parties or external organisations that ensure that we can make our publications available to a global audience free of charge. Our intention is to keep such charges as low as possible. Proposals for new or existing journals are welcome from editors within and outside the University of Westminster>
UWP aims to build a portfolio of high-quality open access journals. If you are looking to start a journal, or have an existing journal that you are considering to move to open access then please get in touch by contacting r.baggaley@westminster.ac.uk. The publishing process for each journal may vary according to the needs of the editor and relevant discipline but we are happy to discuss a range of options with prospective editors (see our Journal Submission Guidelines).
All of our journals will appear in an open access environment for reading online, via PDFs or the ePub format on a range of devices. Via the Ubiquity Press platform UWP provides a stable online location for the journal and takes on production and design work, indexing in many locations for easy discovery and citation allowing editors to concentrate on the acquisition and editing of submissions.
Every journal also has the backing of UWP staff and that of Ubiquity’s dedicated platform and team so that there is always a source of support and advice for any journal’s editors.