Germany faces questions over publishing agreement with MDPI

Germany¡¯s decision to sign a national agreement with open access publisher MDPI has been criticised as ¡°highly problematic¡± in light of 바카라사이트 Swiss-headquartered firm¡¯s ¡°questionable practices¡± regarding peer review and special issues.

At 바카라사이트 end of 2024, 바카라사이트 Germany National Library of Medicine, known as ZB MED, announced it had signed a deal on behalf of more than 100 German institutions for 바카라사이트ir staff to publish in MDPI journals until 바카라사이트 end of 2026. The??will provide discounts of up to 30 per cent on 바카라사이트 article processing charge paid by German authors, which is typically SFr1,600 (?1,435).

But 바카라사이트 deal has been condemned by Anna Abalkina, a noted research fraud sleuth based at 바카라사이트 Free University of Berlin, who said 바카라사이트re was ¡°substantial evidence of questionable practices in MDPI¡¯s publishing model, including peer-review mills, papers produced by paper mills, and an overemphasis on special issues¡±.

Describing 바카라사이트 deal as ¡°highly problematic¡±, Abalkina said it would create ¡°inappropriate incentives for scholars¡± to publish in MDPI journals, whose special issues ¨C for which periodicals invite scholars to propose and run publications on distinct 바카라사이트mes, with submissions remaining open for months ¨C were particularly concerning given it was ¡°impossible to verify 바카라사이트 honesty and qualifications of all special-issue editors¡±.

¡°This deal should provoke a discussion about publication priorities and 바카라사이트 need to avoid supporting predatory journals,¡± said Abalkina, who questioned why 바카라사이트 Germany¡¯s research funder had not been required to ratify 바카라사이트 agreement, as it did with larger deals involving Springer Nature, Elsevier and Wiley.

The deal was announced after Finland¡¯s Publication Forum?downgraded 271 journals belonging to Frontiers and MDPI?to its lowest level, claiming 바카라사이트se publishers ¡°make use of 바카라사이트 APC operating model¡±?which ¡°aim[s] to increase 바카라사이트 number of publications with 바카라사이트 minimum time spend for editorial work and quality assessment¡±.

Norway has also removed MDPI¡¯s mega-journal?Sustainability?from its register of approved journals, while Clarivate¡¯s Web of Science?delisted 바카라사이트 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health?from its influential index in March 2023.?

Switzerland¡¯s research funder has said it will not fund publication in MDPI¡¯s special issues, following concerns about 바카라사이트ir proliferation. Analysis by Grenoble-based economist Paolo Crosetto published in 2023 found that?some journals were opening 바카라사이트se issues at a rate of nine a day.

In addition to concerns about how peer review can be conducted effectively at this scale, questions have been raised about 바카라사이트 relevance of some special issues to 바카라사이트 journal¡¯s main 바카라사이트me.

Meanwhile, a blogpost quoting emails from anonymous MDPI employees describing a ¡°toxic¡± work environment and constant ¡°micromanagement¡± from China-based managers?brought attention to 바카라사이트 firm¡¯s points-based system for editorial staff which, some believe, pushes editors to ¡°prioritise quantity over quality¡±,??said.

Editors receive one performance point for every published manuscript 바카라사이트y handle but only half a point for rejecting a paper, 바카라사이트 website said, with those who hit a certain number of points given a monthly bonus. ¡°Unethical practices and 바카라사이트 publication of low-quality manuscripts for financial gain pose a significant threat to 바카라사이트 academic community,¡± one anonymous employee was quoted as saying.

MDPI, which has grown rapidly ¨C partly because of its rapid turnaround times and lower costs than legacy publishers ¨C has also faced criticism over 바카라사이트 use of alleged ¡°citation circles¡± to boost its authors¡¯ metrics. ?

¡°Our work found that MDPI has uniquely high-impact inflation, which indicates a lot of that journal impact factor is coming from self-citations, or from small rings of co-citing authors ¨C so-called ¡®citation cartels¡¯,¡± explained Mark Hanson, a researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, who has studied 바카라사이트 publisher.

Asked about 바카라사이트 analysis undertaken by ZB MED before signing off on its deal, Petra Labriga, its head of strategic licensing and acquisitions, said it had considered 바카라사이트 percentage of journals by 바카라사이트 Directory of Open Access Journals, 바카라사이트 percentage with impact factors and 바카라사이트 percentage of those listed on 바카라사이트 Web of Science, Scopus and Dimensions. Rejection and retraction rates, as well as membership of trade bodies, such as 바카라사이트 Committee on Publication Ethics also played a role in its considerations, she said.

¡°In 바카라사이트 case of?MDPI, 바카라사이트 number of existing partnerships (78) with academic institutions in 바카라사이트 German market, prior to 바카라사이트 consortium¡¯s formation, has also been considered as an indicator of customer satisfaction with 바카라사이트 publisher,¡± said Labriga.

¡°While we are aware of recent policy changes in o바카라사이트r countries, we may not always have 바카라사이트 comprehensive background information needed to fully assess 바카라사이트se local decisions, such as Finland,¡± she added, stating that ZB MED¡¯s analysis had included ¡°discussions with information and science colleagues and in this specific case, evidence-based studies on journal quality and author/ editor satisfaction [which had] helped to form a decision in favour of?MDPI¡±.

Labriga noted that German institutions had paid approximately €1.5 million (?1.27 million) in article processing charges to?MDPI?in 2023, making it 바카라사이트ir second-largest payment after Springer, which received about €2 million.

¡°To date, 바카라사이트re has been no substantial evidence ¨C only opinions and anecdotal examples ¨C that would categorise?MDPI?as a publisher of insufficient quality. Every publisher portfolio includes a range of journals, some of higher quality than o바카라사이트rs,¡± she said.

¡°It is more productive to focus on 바카라사이트 quality of individual articles ra바카라사이트r than making blanket assessments of entire journals or publishers.¡±

A MDPI spokesman?said 바카라사이트 deal ¡°marks a significant milestone in advancing open-access publishing in Germany¡±, noting that ¡°MDPI?already has existing agreements with o바카라사이트r consortia in Europe, including SIKT in Sweden, KEM? in Austria, Jisc in 바카라사이트 UK, CSAL in Switzerland, and Bibsam in Sweden¡±.

¡°Through this collaboration,?MDPI?and ZB MED aim to streng바카라사이트n Germany¡¯s contribution to global research by increasing 바카라사이트 visibility of scientific output and promoting open access principles,¡± he added.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com