The debate surrounding article processing charges (APCs) centers around whether they are mandatory for maintaining the quality of open access (OA) journals. While proponents of APCs argue that they help to cover the costs of publishing OA journals—editorial and peer-review processes, copyediting, typesetting, hosting, and archiving—the opponents argue that the quality of scientific publishing can be maintained without APCs. With the former, APCs can be seen as a mechanism that promotes the development of a sustainable and robust publishing infrastructure. However, for the latter, high APCs can create barriers to access for authors who lack the resources and support to pay them. This can limit the diversity of voices, opportunities, and perspectives in academic publishing and restrict the dissemination of research findings. Additionally, some publishers may use APCs as a profit-driven business model, charging high fees while providing little value in return. Therefore, to explore the influence of APCs and potential alternatives for an honest and transparent research and publishing system, we conducted a global survey titled “ Awareness about Funding Opportunities for Research and Open Access Publishing and Perceived Attitude towards the ‘Pay-to-Publish’ Model ”. We received an overwhelming 590 responses from over 400 universities and 60 countries worldwide. While the majority of the respondents held the firm belief that APCs pose a significant threat that could impede the advancement of open science, several respondents also considered that charging fees for scholarly resources is a viable means of disseminating knowledge to wider audiences. Most respondents were vocal about refraining from publishing in OA journals due to the high APCs levied. However, a notable proportion of researchers expressed their willingness to pay the fees despite the cost, indicating a recognition of the potential benefits of OA publishing. Although researchers were aware that APCs could help support the financial sustainability of OA, they were not completely aware of the funding opportunities and institutional support that they could explore to ensure publishing quality research in high-impact OA journals. Hence, there is an undeniable need for educating and creating awareness among researchers, as this can also lead to the development of better policies, accessible funding models, and more effective consortia deals that help to mitigate the negative impact of APCs on authors and institutions while ensuring equitable access to quality research.
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