Restricted access for scientific papers


In accordance with § 86 para. 2 of the Universities Act 2002, the author of a scientific paper may request the prevention of the use of a thesis, Master's thesis or dissertation (embargo, restricted access).

A restricted access decision is only to be granted where it can be established that important legal or economic interests of the student are at risk through public access to the scientific work.

The restriction means that those copies of the thesis or dissertation given to the BOKU University Library or the Austrian National Library shall be kept secure in a place not freely accessible to the public for the duration of the restriction. In their own interest, applicants have to ensure that there are no other publicly available copies of the work at hand.

The embargo prevents free access to the Master’s or doctoral thesis in these libraries. Inclusion of this scientific work into the library’s official database system is however not prevented.  

Duration of restricted access
The statutory maximum period is five years. Initially use restriction will be limited to two years. An extension of this period by another three years is possible if a request to that effect is sent to the Study Services in time before the expiry of the first access prohibition period.  

Form
Scientific paper access restriction

The completed application form together with a bound copy of the Master's thesis is to be submitted to the Study Services. In the case of a dissertation the form is submitted at the same time as the two bound dissertation copies presented for examination at the Study Services.

Where a restriction extension is requested, only the form needs to be submitted to the Study Services.

After granting access prohibition or its extension a notification of restriction will be drawn up by the Study Services.