Empowering Academic Growth with MDPI Scientific Publishing Exchange at Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education, 24 April 2025

In collaboration with Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education (NAIHE) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), MDPI is hosting the MDPI Scientific Publishing Exchange. This workshop aims to empower researchers and graduate students with essential skills for academic publishing and professional development. The programme will feature a 2–3-hour session to cover manuscript preparation, submission processes, and strategies for successful publishing, with additional sharing sessions delivered by the faculty members of NAIHE and SUTD.

Participants will also have opportunities to engage in discussions and network with peers and experts. Designed to be both practical and insightful, this workshop will provide attendees with tools to excel in their academic and research endeavours.

Date: 24 April 2025
Time: 9:30 a.m.–4:50 p.m.
Venue: Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education, Bugis Junction Tower, 230 Victoria Street 04-09/10, Singapore 188024

Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations using an institutional email address will be prioritized.

Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y9ZGW6K.

Schedule:

Time	Program and Content
9:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m.	Registration and Tea Break
10:00 a.m.–10:10 a.m.	Opening Address by NAIHE CEO–Prof. Abhishek Singh Bhati
10:10 a.m.–11:00 a.m.	Scientific Publishing Essentials 1—Delivered by MDPI Introduction to MDPI, Open Access, the Editorial Process, and Journals This session introduces MDPI’s mission as a leading open-access publisher, highlighting its rigorous peer review, fast turnaround, and broad research reach. Participants will explore relevant journals and the benefits of open access, including increased visibility and funding compliance. Reasons for Rejection at Pre-Check This session explores common pre-check rejection reasons—formatting issues, lack of novelty, language quality, and scope mismatch. Participants will gain practical tips on submission preparation, ethical compliance, and journal alignment, along with strategies to avoid these pitfalls. Q&A Session
11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.	Delivered by Dr. Kok Chiang Liang (NAIHE) and Dr. Teo Tee Hui (SUTD) Introduction of 3 Special Issue(s) Q&A Session
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.	Lunch Break
1:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.	Kickstart Activity
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.	Scientific Publishing Essentials 2—Delivered by MDPI How to Respond to Peer Reviewers This segment offers practical tips on responding to peer reviewers—addressing feedback, providing respectful rebuttals, and revising manuscripts. It emphasizes a collaborative tone and thorough responses to boost publication success. Skill Lab: Reviewer Says, You Respond Participants will practice crafting professional responses to sample peer reviewer comments. They will learn to address feedback, provide clear rebuttals, and revise manuscripts while maintaining a collaborative tone. Q&A Session
3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.	Tea Break
3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.	Scientific Publishing Essentials 3—Delivered by MDPI How to Write and Structure a Journal Article This session covers the essentials of manuscript writing, guiding participants through structuring key sections (abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion), maintaining scientific rigor, and using clear, concise language. It also focuses on highlighting research significance and aligning with the target journal's audience and style. Skill Lab: Catchy Yet Clear Participants will practice writing concise, informative, and engaging research paper titles that reflect the content of a study and attract potential readers. Q&A Session
4:30 p.m.–4:40 p.m.	Closing Accolades
4:40 p.m.–4:50 p.m.	Closing Address by Dr. Teo Tee Hui (SUTD)