National Capacity Centres (NCCs) are national or regional support structures that help coordinate and strengthen Diamond Open Access (OA) publishing. They bring together publishers, service providers, and infrastructures to support journals and book series in creating high-quality scholarly outputs.

Why NCCs matter

Without coordination at the national and European levels, efforts to support nonprofit OA publishing can be inefficient, duplicated, or remain fragmented. NCCs are strategically important because they understand local academic traditions, higher education structures, and national policies. They provide:

• Shared technical infrastructure and tools
• Training and policy guidance for institutions and funders
• Advocacy for sustainable publishing models
• Connections to European initiatives like the EDCH
  
  

The EDCH ensures alignment across national centres, promoting high-quality, sustainable, community-led OA publishing.

Current status in Europe

To date, 21 National Capacity Centres have been identified across Europe: 11 are already established, and 10 are in preparation. A NCC is considered established when it has a representative body and a publicly shared plan that defines its scope and Diamond OA activities at the national level. This growing network helps ensure that Diamond OA publishing is well-supported, sustainable, and integrated at both national and European levels.

Connection with OPERAS National Nodes

As the EDCH is a program of OPERAS, NCCs are supported by OPERAS National Nodes. OPERAS National Nodes focus on open science in the social sciences and humanities, supporting local communities, identifying needs, and providing training. NCCs have a broader disciplinary scope and focus specifically on Diamond OA. Both structures are encouraged to collaborate closely — sharing resources, expertise, and guidance — to help each other grow and strengthen OA publishing in Europe.