SciELO Observatory Mexico III: Historical Trajectory, Policy Formalization, and Editorial Funding of Mexican Scientific Journals toward Open Science (2023–2025)

Abstract

This article presents the third edition of SciELO Observatory Mexico and analyzes the public formalization of editorial policies related to Open Science among journals belonging to the SciELO Mexico collection between 2023 and 2025. It also reconstructs the institutional trajectory of Open Science in Mexico and examines publication fees as a dimension of editorial funding. For this edition, a documentary and descriptive study was conducted based on a review of the official websites of 263 journals in 2025. The integrated set comprised seven indicators: acceptance of preprints, research data policies, disclosure of reviewer identities, author contribution statements, permissive open licensing, continuous publication, and current inclusion in DOAJ. The results reveal a gradual, selective, and uneven adoption of these practices. In 2025, 70.0% of the journals displayed at least one indicator, 30.8% met two or more, and 10.6% met three or more; none incorporated the full set. Inclusion in DOAJ and continuous publication were the most widespread dimensions, whereas policies on research data, preprints, permissive licenses, and identity disclosure remained relatively uncommon. Regarding funding, 86.3% of the journals stated that they did not charge publication fees, 8.7% reported some form of fee, and for 4.9% no clear policy on this matter could be identified. Fees varied in amount, modality, and justification and were primarily associated with cost recovery and editorial sustainability. The study concludes that the transition toward Open Science remains fragmented and is shaped by institutional capacities, infrastructures, regulatory frameworks, and available resources. It provides a baseline for assessing the subsequent effects of the National System of Scientific and Humanities Publications, without equating the formalization of policies with their effective implementation.