Sunway University successfully hosted a comprehensive Academic Publishing Workshop on 9 October 2025, held in collaboration with MDPI. The session was officially opened by Prof. Suzana Yusup, Deputy Dean for Research and Sustainability (DDRS) of Sunway University, who welcomed the diverse group of attendees, which included faculty members, PhD students, and early career researchers (ECRs).

The event featured two expert speakers, Ms. Yu Nwe Soe and Ms. Lorena Goja, who covered critical stages of the publication process. Ms. Yu Nwe Soe’s sessions began by introducing the open access (OA) model and MDPI, followed by practical advice on how to write and structure a high-quality academic paper using standards like the IMRaD format. She concluded with an essential deep dive into Publication Ethics for Authors, emphasizing integrity in areas such as plagiarism, data management, and authorship.

The second half of the workshop, presented by Ms. Lorena Goja, focused on advanced skills vital for publication success. Attendees gained strategic insights into how to respond effectively to peer reviewers, learning techniques for drafting professional rebuttal letters, and managing manuscript revisions constructively.

The final, timely session addressed the emerging landscape of Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Publishing, exploring both the benefits and the new ethical and practical challenges posed by AI tools in the research workflow. This segment sparked significant discussion and included an interactive quiz that tested attendees' understanding of AI's evolving role in the field.

The workshop was met with tremendous enthusiasm, characterized by high engagement and a continuous flow of helpful questions and constructive feedback from the participants. This active interaction from the mix of faculty, PhD students, and ECRs underscored the broad relevance of the topics presented to the university's research community.

MDPI is sincerely grateful to Sunway University for the opportunity to deliver the Academic Publishing Workshop, and we look forward to future opportunities for collaboration.