Announcements

1 August 2025
Meet Us at the Aquaculture Europe 2025 (AE2025), 22–25 September 2025, Valencia, Spain


Conference: Aquaculture Europe 2025 (AE2025)
Date: 22–25 September 2025
Place: Valencia, Spain

We are excited to announce that MDPI will participate as an exhibitor at the Aquaculture Europe 2025, from 22 to 25 September 2025.

With its diversity of species and production technologies, its diversity of market propositions, as well as its reverence for the environment and the way in which this is changing, aquaculture has been established as an essential sector in global food supply. There is therefore no doubt that aquaculture is and needs to be for everyone.

This all-inclusive concept is feasible and compatible with the environmental integrity of our coastal areas, the regeneration and sustainability of our primary sectors, the economic well-being for important food value chains, and the professional and entrepreneurial formation of local human capital, as well as the long-life learning needs of our public administrations.

Developing social licence and promoting not only the production and commercialization of high-quality and health-focused aquatic feeds, but also the ecosystem services that aquaculture provides, all of which are key features of AE2025—providing for each and every person in Spain and throughout Europe.

The AE2025 parallel sessions will cover the full scope of European aquaculture scientific disciplines and species and will comprise submitted oral and poster presentations. AE2025 will also feature an international trade exhibition, industry forum, student sessions and activities, satellite workshops, and updates on EU research.

The following MDPI journals will be presenting at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the conference, please feel free to get in contact with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #148 and answering any questions that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://aquaeas.org/.

31 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #25 - 8,000 Staff Worldwide, Korea Visit, 100,000 Preprints, Malaysia Roundtable, Canada Consortium Deal

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

Talent Drives Our Progress

For the first time in MDPI’s history, we now have over 8,000 colleagues across the company. I would like to take a moment to celebrate this milestone and acknowledge the driving force behind our growth and success: our people.

As the world’s leading fully open access publisher, MDPI has grown thanks to the dedication, talent, and teamwork of colleagues across the company. Already halfway through 2025, we’ve welcomed nearly 2,000 new colleagues. 

“Our achievements are also about the people behind them”

We now manage over 475 journals, with 298 receiving an Impact Factor, and hundreds more indexed in major databases, including 343 in Scopus, and 92 by PubMed. As the reach and impact of our journals continues to grow, so does the need for dedicated and qualified teams to support that growth. Thus, attracting and retaining exceptional talent remains a cornerstone of our success.

Our achievements are not just about the results of journal expansion, however: they’re about the people behind them. From our hardworking editors to our meticulous English editing and production teams – from our journal relationship specialists, public relations, marketing and communications professionals to our conference teams and the project teams behind Preprints, Scilit, SciProfiles, JAMS and more. Our success reflects the work of thousands of people showing up each day, taking pride in their work, and committed to excellence and service.

What we’re doing to support talent:

  • Investing in onboarding and training to help new colleagues feel welcomed and empowered to thrive.
  • Creating clearer career paths across all functions, from editorial to communications and beyond.
  • Launching mentorship programs and internal knowledge-sharing sessions to promote growth and collaboration.
  • Evolving our recognition and rewards programs to better celebrate your contributions.
  • Expanding our training systems and platforms.

MDPI’s in-house training department offers over 215 training courses, covering topics from editorial development to cross-cultural collaboration. In 2024 alone, we had 44 full-time trainers and 196 part-time training assistants supporting the learning and development needs of colleagues worldwide. These efforts ensure our teams are equipped with the skills and confidence to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully.

Over two-thirds of our workforce is editorial, and of our more than 5,400 editors, 87% hold a Master’s degree and 6% a PhD. Their collective contributions are central to delivering a high-quality publishing experience and supporting global academic communication.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also aim to continue on a path of steady and sustainable growth, one that balances journal expansion with investment in people, outreach, processes, and innovation. Together, we are shaping the future of open access and academic publishing. Thank you for your hard work, your ideas, and your commitment to serving the global research community.

Let’s continue working together to create a culture where great talent grows and every colleague feels valued.

Impactful Research

Visiting South Korea: Building Connections and Supporting the MDPI Seoul Office

In July, I had the opportunity to visit our team in Seoul and engage directly with academic communities in South Korea. The visit focused on deepening MDPI’s relationships with local universities, institutions, and partners, and supporting the great work of our colleagues at the MDPI Seoul office.

Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference

A highlight of the visit was our participation in the Korea Association of Private University Libraries (KAPUL) Conference, where we presented to over 100 academic librarians. I delivered a keynote speech titled “The Evolving Publishing Landscape: Open Access and Beyond,” while my colleague Dr. Jisuk Kang (Public Affairs Specialist) shared insights in her presentation, “Inside MDPI: Editorial Practices & Research Integrity.”

Facts & Figures: South Korea

  • South Korea is MDPI’s sixth-largest publishing country by article volume (over 90,000 MDPI papers published to date).
  • In 2024, Korea ranked 16th globally by total publications, and 6th (among these top 20 countries) by citation impact.
  • 52% of Korean publications in 2024 were OA – and 73% of those were Gold OA.
  • MDPI published about 20% of all OA papers from Korea in 2024.
  • Over 2,000 active Editorial Board Members from South Korea contribute to MDPI journals, with 11 Section Editors-in-Chief.
  • We currently have 11 Institutional Open Access Program agreements and two society partnerships in Korea:
    • Korean Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology (with MDPI journal Pharmaceutics)
    • Korean Tribology Society (with MDPI journal Coatings)

MDPI Seoul Office and the First Korea Salon

Our Seoul office serves as a regional hub for marketing, communications, and community engagement. It continues to grow in size and influence, prioritizing supporting scholar visits, conference sponsorships, and outreach events such as the recent MDPI Korea Salon.

The inaugural Salon, themed “Exploring Research Trends in Medical Publishing, Ethics, and AI,” brought together over 20 scholars and Editorial Board members serving MDPI journals.

Thank you to our guest speakers including Professors Young-Joon Surh of Seoul National University, Kwang-Sig Lee of Korea University, and Jin-Won Noh of Yonsei University who presented on the landscape of medicine in South Korea and across the globe. The Salon also included presentations from MDPI colleagues on Open Access, ethics, and how the IOAP can support researchers in this field.

“Our Seoul office continues to grow in size and influence”

Looking Ahead

MDPI is already the leading OA publisher in South Korea, yet challenges and misconceptions around OA and APCs remain. Visits like this one, along with the ongoing efforts of our Seoul office, are important to building understanding, trust, and long-term relationships with the local academic community.

A big thank-you to our colleagues in Seoul for their warm hospitality, professionalism, and energy! Our new office is well situated, staffed, and ready to grow. This visit marked an important step forward in our continued mission to support global research communities and advance Open Science.

Inside MDPI

Preprints.org Reaches 100,000 Preprints: A Major Milestone for MDPI and Open Science

In case you missed it, Preprints.org recently surpassed 100,000 preprints posted. This is a major milestone for our platform and one worth celebrating.

Preprints are a key pillar of the Open Science movement, which promotes transparency, equity, and faster knowledge-sharing through initiatives such as Open Access, Open Data, Open Source, and Open Peer Review. The benefits of Open Science extend beyond researchers, as they support funders, educators, policymakers, and the public in advancing discovery and innovation.

What is behind the 100,000 preprints milestone?

Since its launch in 2016, Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms, now ranked fifth globally by publication volume.

More than 350,000 researchers have contributed, helping shape this dynamic and collaborative space for sharing early-stage research across all disciplines.

Read the full announcement here:
https://www.mdpi.com/about/announcements/12202

“Preprints.org has grown into one of the world’s leading preprint platforms”

Some quick facts worth noting:

  • About 56% of the preprints on Preprints.org are later published in peer-reviewed journals.
  • The platform is now indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Europe PMC, and Crossref, helping improve visibility and trust in the preprints shared.
  • Recent upgrades – including a revamped website, new features such as search subscriptions, curated reading lists, and community feedback tools (PREreview) – show our commitment to developing Preprints.org in line with researchers’ needs.

This growth and progress would not be possible without the dedication of the Preprints.org team, our Advisory Board members, screeners, and colleagues across MDPI who support the platform’s development. This milestone is a reminder of our shared mission: to accelerate scientific communication and build a more open, transparent, and inclusive research ecosystem.

I’m excited to see what’s ahead as we approach Preprints.org’s 10-year anniversary in 2026!

Coming Together for Science

Malaysia Media Roundtable: Educating on Open Access and MDPI’s Presence in Southeast Asia

At the end of June, I had the opportunity to participate in a strategic media roundtable in Kuala Lumpur, focused on raising awareness about the importance of Open Access (OA) and on MDPI’s growing presence in Southeast Asia.

We welcomed five Malaysian media outlets for an engaging private session that included presentations and open discussion.

I gave an overview of the benefits of Open Access, MDPI’s global developments, and our collaborations in Malaysia.

My colleague Yu Nwe Soe (Public Relations Specialist), presented on our editorial process, helping to clarify how MDPI supports authors and maintains research quality.

We were also joined by two local Editorial Board Members (EBMs) who offered first-hand insights into their experiences working with MDPI and how OA has shaped their publishing choices.

The discussion covered a range of questions from the press, from OA publishing models to editorial standards, and highlighted MDPI’s unique contribution to accelerating scientific communication in the region.

As the leading fully OA publisher, we see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities and the broader public on the impact of OA, especially in emerging and high-growth academic markets.

Spotlight on Malaysia

Malaysia continues to rise as a regional research hub, with five universities ranked in the global top 200 and 11 subjects in the global top 50. In 2024, Malaysia ranked 2nd in Southeast Asia in total publication output, 10th in Asia, and 25th globally.

MDPI’s presence in Malaysia:

  • Over 21,000 research articles published to date from Malaysian institutions
  • More than 1,100 articles published in 2024 alone
  • In the period 2020–2024, 54% of Malaysia’s total publications were OA
  • 36 EBMs from Malaysia, across 27 MDPI journals
  • Around 100 conferences sponsored in Malaysia in the past five years
  • MDPI is hosting the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers in Kuala Lumpur (29 July- 3 August 2025)

Media Coverage & Editorial Voices

Following the roundtable, we saw positive coverage across several local outlets, with articles highlighting MDPI’s role in empowering Malaysian researchers. Notable pieces included:

Our local EBMs also shared their perspectives:

Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum (Sunway University, EBM of MDPI journal Processes) and Prof. Lee (EBM of MDPI journal Bacteria) share their experiences with MDPI and the role Open Access plays in their publication decisions.

“We see it as our responsibility to continue educating research communities on the impact of OA”

“I didn’t want my work stuck behind a paywall.”
— Prof. Denny Ng Kok Sum, Sunway University, Processes Editorial Board Member

“Open Access opens doors for collaboration and visibility, especially in fast-developing regions like ours.”
— Prof. Lee, Bacteria Editorial Board Member

This roundtable marked another step in building trust, understanding, and collaboration in Southeast Asia. A big thank-you to the MDPI Malaysia team and all those who contributed to the event’s success.

Closing Thoughts

MDPI Signs First North American Agreement with Canadian Consortium

We are proud to announce a major milestone for MDPI Canada and an important step forward for OA in North America.

In July, our Toronto office finalized MDPI’s first North American consortium agreement with the Federal Science Libraries Network (FSLN). This is a significant achievement that strengthens our expansion in Canada and reinforces our global commitment to supporting Open Science.

This two-year agreement gives Canadian federal agencies access to MDPI’s IOAP, including discounted article processing charges for affiliated researchers across our portfolio of over 475 OA journals. It lowers barriers for Canadian scientists to share their work more openly and reach a global audience.


Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.

“The Open Science landscape in Canada is rapidly evolving, with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy set for renewal by the end of 2025. This reflects ongoing efforts to foster greater scientific transparency and accessibility at a national policy level,” says Ryan Siu, Institutional Partnerships Manager at MDPI.

“Our new agreement with FSLN represents our shared commitment to further these efforts and foster wider readership. By aligning with these initiatives, we make progress towards research that’s both inclusive and impactful, benefiting local and global communities alike.”

Participating FSLN institutions include:

  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada
  • Health Canada
  • National Research Council Canada
  • Natural Resources Canada

By partnering with some of Canada’s largest science-based agencies, we reaffirm our goal of advancing OA across continents. We look forward to developing our support for Canadian researchers and continuing to drive progress in Open Science across North America and beyond.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

8 July 2025
Meet Us at the AOGS2025 22nd Annual Meeting, 27 July–1 August 2025, Singapore


Conference: 
AOGS2025 22nd Annual Meeting
Date: 27 July–1 August 2025
Place: Level 4, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 

MDPI is excited to announce its participation as an exhibitor at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS2025), taking place in Singapore from 27 July to 1 August 2025. 

This prestigious conference brings together scientists, researchers, and practitioners from across eight geoscience disciplines: atmospheric sciences (ASs), biogeosciences (BGs), hydrological sciences (HSs), interdisciplinary geosciences (IGs), ocean sciences (OSs), planetary sciences (PSs), solar and terrestrial sciences (STs), and solid earth sciences (SEs). 

In addition to a robust program of scientific presentations and exhibitions, AOGS2025 will feature a variety of engaging ancillary activities—including workshops, panel discussions, special sessions, and field trips—designed to offer a well-rounded and enriching experience for all participants. 

One of the event highlights is "Speed Networking", which provides a unique opportunity for attendees and exhibitors to expand their professional networks through focused one-on-one meetings. 

We look forward to connecting with the global geoscience community at AOGS2025! 

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference and our booth, please visit https://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2025/public.asp?page=home.asp.

4 July 2025
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in June 2025

Six new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in June 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access. We are pleased to present the latest research and to make it accessible to all.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal Founding Editor-in-Chief Journal Topics (Selected)
Prof. Dr. Chang-Pu Sun,
China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing, China; Computational Science Research Center, China
Editorial | View inaugural issue
quantum information and phenomena; condensed matter physics and statistical physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; computational physics and mathematical methods
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin,
Sun Yat-sen University, China;
Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo,
Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain
Editorial | View inaugural issue
green and organic food; green infrastructures; green exercise; environmental impact of the healthcare sector; effects of climate change on human health |
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Francesco Veglio,
University of L’Aquila, Italy
Editorial | View inaugural issue
ultra-pure substances; water purification; air purification; gas purification; inorganic chemical purification; purification technologies
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Junxing Zheng,
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Editorial | View inaugural issue
computer-aided design and engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins; robotics and automation in construction; smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT); intelligent control systems and facilities management
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Assunta Di Vaio, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy
Editorial | View inaugural issue
sustainability, managerial, and biodiversity accounting; carbon management accounting; corporate social responsibility; artificial intelligence and disclosure
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Changjun Liu,
Sichuan University, China
Editorial | View inaugural issue
bioeffects of electromagnetic waves; electromagnetic science and engineering; microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies; metamaterials and metasurfaces; communication, sensing, and networks; energy, power, and sustainable applications; quantum and emerging technologies; artificial intelligence and advanced fabrication
View journal scope | Submit an article
We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you are interested in launching a new open access journal with us, you are welcome to send an application here.

2 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #24 - 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScore, MDPI Summits France & USA, Tu Youyou Award

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights

For those of our readers who are new to academic publishing, you may have heard some news in June around the Impact Factor release. Every year, typically in June, Clarivate releases its annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which include Journal Impact Factors (JIF). This metric is widely used in academic publishing to reflect the average number of citations received by recent articles in each journal.

While Impact Factor is just one of many indicators of journal influence, it remains a major milestone for authors, editors, and publishers. It’s used to assess journal visibility, researcher recognition, and scholarly reach. Throughout our international meetings and events, it’s clear that the Impact Factor is something many of our authors and editorial board members care about, as it can influence where they choose to submit an article and the funding they receive for their research.

“These results reflect the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI”

MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights

  • 298 MDPI journals received a Journal Impact Factor.
  • 60 journals earned their first-ever Impact Factor
    • To put this in perspective: MDPI’s 60 new journal acceptances into the Web of Science was the second highest number of any publisher in 2024, behind Elsevier and ahead of Springer Nature. Our 87% acceptance rate for journals submitted to Web of Science shows the strength of our editorial process and our proven ability to develop journals aligned with Clarivate’s 24 evaluation criteria.
    • Notably, Textiles, Mathematics, International Journal of Neonatal Screening, Smart Cities, Systems, and Pharmaceutics ranked in the top 10% in their respective categories, highlighting their growing influence and prestige within their academic fields. This shows that high-quality indexing goes beyond visibility; it upholds credibility and trust.
  • 193 MDPI journals are now ranked in the top 50% (Q1/Q2) of their subject categories.
    • What does this mean, and why is it important? Journals are ranked by quartiles within their field, based on their Impact Factor. Q1 represents the top 25% of journals in their category, Q2 the next 25%, and so on. Being in Q1 or Q2 shows that a journal is performing well relative to other journals in its category. Authors and institutions often look at quartile rankings when choosing where to publish – it’s an important indicator of visibility and recognition, within its respective category.
  • 116 of our previously ranked journals increased their Impact Factor.
  • 14 MDPI journals achieved an Impact Factor of 5.0 or higher, suggesting a high degree of influence and visibility.

These results reflect our staff's hard work: from our editorial and production teams to our indexing, communications, and data teams, and beyond. This also reflects the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI, reinforcing the message that when researchers publish with MDPI, they publish with impact.

Open Access with Impact

As the leading fully open access publisher, our journals have received a total of 18.4 million citations in the Web of Science by the end of 2024, reflecting the growing reach and engagement of research published with MDPI. We are committed to making scientific research freely accessible to everyone, everywhere. With the support of more than 4.2 million contributing authors, we’re proud to support the global shift toward open access.

Further Reading

If you’d like to better understand how journals get indexed and why Impact Factors matter, please read this recent interview with Dr. Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing). It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the role our indexing team plays in supporting journal indexing and visibility.

You can also read our official news announcement shared last week: MDPI Journals in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports.

Thank you to everyone, from our authors and reviewers to our editors and internal teams, who contributed to the progress of our journal indexing in 2024. We’re continuing to build journals that are recognized and trusted across disciplines.

Impactful Research

MDPI Journals See Continued Growth in 2024 CiteScore Results

Continuing our indexing updates, I’m pleased to share that MDPI has achieved strong results in the latest CiteScore metrics, released on 5 June by Scopus. These results reflect the collective efforts of our editors, reviewers, authors, and internal teams, with their dedication to quality and visibility in scientific publishing. You can read the full announcement here.

2024 Highlights:

  • 322 MDPI journals received a CiteScore (up from 274 last year).
  • 283 journals (88%) are ranked in Q1 or Q2 of their subject categories.
  • 237 journals (85%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
  • 48 journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
  • 39 journals are now placed in the top 10% of their subject areas.

“This growth highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science”

What is CiteScore and how is it measured?

CiteScore metrics are developed by Elsevier as an alternative to the Impact Factor. They measure the citation impact of journals and can be accessed freely on Scopus. The metric represents the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal. If you’re interested in learning more about citation metrics and how we use them, check out this blog post.

Why is this important?

These results show the growing recognition for, and impact of, MDPI journals across disciplines. CiteScore rankings help researchers, institutions, and funders assess where high-quality work is being published. This growth improves our journals’ positioning in the publishing landscape and highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science.

Inside MDPI

Highlights from the MDPI USA Summit in Boston (5–6 June)

With several Summits already behind us, I think this is a good time to reflect on the purpose of these Summits.

Why do we organize MDPI Summits?

These one-and-a-half-day, invite-only gatherings are designed to improve our relationships with Chief Editors who lead our journals and are respected voices in their fields. The Summits aim to:

  1. Share MDPI’s values, achievements, editorial practices, and local market collaborations.
  2. Collect feedback on MDPI operations and journal practices.
  3. Empower Chief Editors to confidently represent MDPI beyond the Summit.

While Chief Editors know their journals well, these events help them better understand MDPI. We want them to be ambassadors for our brand. The aim is for them to walk away informed, engaged, and equipped to share positively about MDPI.

About the Boston Summit

Held on 5–6 June, our first USA Summit gathered over 25 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in the USA. The program included presentations, Q&A, and a panel discussion.

Agenda Highlights:

Moderated by Summer Huggard (Operations Manager [Toronto], MDPI), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview and USA Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Feichi Lu (Junior Data Scientist, MDPI)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
  • Panel Discussion – Stefan, Feichi, Giulia, Claudia
  • Society Partnerships – Dr. Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships Senior Manager, MDPI)
  • Voice of the Customer and Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)

MDPI & the USA: Facts and Figures

  • With over 216,000 publications, the USA is MDPI’s second-largest contributor after China.
  • In 2024, the USA ranked 2nd in total submissions and 2nd in total MDPI publications, with more than 28,200 publications.
  • As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from the USA until April 2025 was 352,099.
  • As at April 2025, there are more than 12,035 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from the USA, with 55% having an H-index over 26.
  • Among them, 96 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 218 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
  • MDPI has more than 920 Institutional Open Access Program agreements worldwide, with over 130 from the USA.

A special thanks to our Toronto team, and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this event run smoothly.

Coming Together for Science

Highlights from the MDPI France Summit in Paris (12–13 June)

We completed our first MDPI France Summit in Paris last week, and it was a special event. Attendees were engaged from beginning to end, remaining after hours to network and collaborate.

Why a France Summit?

We chose to host a France Summit in view of the recent challenges MDPI has faced with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). What we took away from the event is that our authors and editors very much appreciate and enjoy working with us, but we need to address the concerns raised by CNRS, around Article Processing Charges (APCs) and the funding of gold open access publications.

“Our authors and editors very much enjoy working with us”

Some of the claims made in the June 2023 interview with Alain Schuhl, the Deputy CEO for Science at the CNRS, are simply not factual. For example, they state that MDPI’s “average APC charges per article are now around the same as Springer Nature’s.” Here is the relevant passage, reproduced verbatim:

This is not accurate.

A recent preprint analysing APC data from Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, PLOS, MDPI, and Frontiers (2019–2023) shows that MDPI’s average APCs remain significantly lower than those of Springer Nature and several other major publishers.

The MDPI Summits are part of our outreach and communication efforts to address misconceptions and clarify MDPI’s position as one of the most accessible and affordable major gold open access publishers in the world.

Summit Overview

Held on 12–13 June, the France Summit gathered over 20 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in France. Many of these editors are influential in their institutions and professional societies. Several also have connections to CNRS, which makes this an important opportunity to clarify how we operate and build trust through open and transparent communication and hopefully turn our editors into informed advocates of MDPI.

Summit Feedback

The feedback has been very positive, with most attendees completing the post-event survey and all rating the experience as Excellent or Good. A few highlights:

  • “The whole thing was highly professional and, above all, provided quantified details that will allow us to better answer questions surrounding MDPI.”
  • “The summit was an opportunity to meet personally various people directly engaged in the organization and policies of MDPI, which made it possible to clarify some important points concerning publishing with MDPI.”
  • “Very well organized! A great opportunity to see all French MDPI partners and editors.”

Program Highlights:

Moderated by Miruna Adelina Nicolcioiu (Senior Conference Producer), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview and France Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Peer-Review Quality – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist)
  • Institutional Partnerships and Open Access Funding Models – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist)
  • Publication Ethics: Global Trends – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist)
  • Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev
  • Panel Discussion – Diana, Becky, Prof. Dr. Patrick Da Cost, and Stefan

MDPI & France: Facts and Figures

  • With over 51,000 publications, France is MDPI's tenth-largest contributor, and fifth largest among EU countries after Italy, Spain, Germany, and Poland.
  • As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from France until April 2025 was 87,592.
  • As at April 2025, there are more than 2,800 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from France, with 59% having an H-index over 26.
  • Among them, 22 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 61 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
  • In 2024, IJMS, JCM, and Molecules were the top three MDPI journals in terms of submissions from French-affiliated authors.

Special thanks to our colleagues from Romanian offices for organizing this successful event.

Closing Thoughts

Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award

As we wrap up this month’s newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the winners of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, presented by our journal Molecules. I am pleased to share that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

I invite you to read the editorial co-authored by the Tu Youyou Award Committee, which highlights the significance of the award and the remarkable impact of the recipients’ research.

A sincere thank-you to the 2024 Award Committee for their dedication and selection process, and congratulations once again to this year’s honourees. Your work exemplifies the kind of research MDPI is proud to support and amplify.

About the Tu Youyou Award
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honour the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award recognizing exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

23 June 2025
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering Receives an Updated Impact Factor of 2.8


We are pleased to share that the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE, ISSN: 2077-1312) was awarded an increased Impact Factor of 2.8 in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports™ released by Clarivate™ in June 2025.

JMSE’s Impact Factor ranks as following:

  • Q2 (7 out of 25) in the “Engineering, Marine” category;
  • Q2 (7 out of 18) in the “Engineering, Ocean” category;
  • Q2 (18 out of 65) in the “Oceanography” category.

The 2024 Journal Impact Factor is calculated by dividing the number of citations received in 2024 to all publications in the journal from 2022 and 2023 by the total number of citable publications from those same years.

To learn more, visit our journal statistics website for detailed metrics, or check out MDPI Impact Factor announcement for general information.

The support and dedication of all the editors, reviewers, authors, and readers are an integral part of the journal’s performance. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have contributed to the journal.

20 June 2025
Young Women in Engineering Award—Open for Nominations


We are pleased to announce that the Young Women in Engineering Award is open for nominations. This award was established to acknowledge the achievements of young women investigators in the field of engineering and to inspire young women to consider research and careers in engineering. All the nominations will be assessed by an Award Evaluation Committee, and winners will be announced online on 8 March 2026.

Prizes:

  • CHF 1000;
  • An electronic certificate;
  • A voucher to waive the article processing charges (APCs) for one submission to a journal within the field of engineering (subject to peer review)—valid for one year.

Number of winners: 2.

Eligibility and requirements:

  • This role is designated for female candidates;
  • Must have received their Ph.D. no more than 10 years prior to 31 December 2025;
  • Must have produced groundbreaking research and made a significant contribution to the advancement of engineering;
  • Must be nominated by senior scientists.

List of documents for nomination:

  • Detailed curriculum vitae, including an updated publication list and a list of the researcher’s own research grants;
  • Scanned copy of doctorate certificate;
  • Signed nomination letters from two established senior scientists.

Schedule:

Open for nominations: 23 June 2025;
Nomination deadline: 30 November 2025;
Winner announcement: 8 March 2026.

Nominations and contact:

All nomination materials and award-related communications must be submitted via our official email: ywe-award@mdpi.com.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Young Women in Engineering Award Team

19 June 2025
MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Water Resources


Water is a critical component of life on earth. Its vital role in areas including climate, bodily function, and energy generation makes water one of the most important resources on the planet. Water research encompasses a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Hydrologists study the distribution, availability, usage and movement of ground water, while oceanographers study tides, currents, and the composition of oceans. Water purification and water resource management are also pertinent topics for water-scarce regions in the world.

MDPI’s cluster of water resource journals is dedicated to the rapid dissemination of contemporary research on water and other related resources. MDPI’s oldest journal in this cluster, Water (IF 3.0), has published over 20,000 papers since 2009, conveying the latest research on water to its broad, multidisciplinary readership. This cluster also offers more specialized outlets for researchers focused on hydrology, marine science, oceanography, and coastal research, enabling their work to reach a more targeted audience.

The seven participating journals are as follows:

  • Water (ISSN: 2073-4441) covers all aspects of water, including the ecology and management of water resources. Water is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Jean-Luc PROBST (University of Toulouse, France);
  • Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE, ISSN: 2077-1312) focuses on research in the fields of ocean engineering, coastal engineering, physical oceanography, geological oceanography, marine biology, and marine environmental science. JMSE is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Charitha Pattiaratchi (Oceans Graduate School and the UWA Oceans Institute, the University of Western Australia, Australia);
  • Hydrology (ISSN: 2306-5338) encompasses all aspects of hydrology, including groundwater, surface water, soil water, and atmospheric water, as well as snow and ice. Papers advancing the quantitative, qualitative, and ecological aspects of hydrology together with water management are welcome. Hydrology is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Ezio Todini (Italian Hydrological Society, Italy);
  • Resources (ISSN: 2079-9276) focuses on natural resources; mineral and geo-resources; land and ecological resources; plant and animal resources; water resources; energy resources; food and bio-resources; resource conservation, reuse, and recycling; sustainable resource management; resource stewardship, governance, and policy; circular economy and new business models; modeling resource flows and impacts. Resources is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Benjamin McLellan (Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Japan);
  • Oceans (ISSN: 2673-1924) is specifically addressed to studies related to all branches of oceanography with an emphasis on the functioning of the ocean and the sustainable use of its resources and ecosystem services. It publishes original research papers, critical reviews, short communications, and commentary. There is no restriction on the length of its papers. Oceans is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Beatriz Morales-Nin (Mediterranean Institute of Advanced Studies CSIC-UIB, Palma de Mallorca, Spain);
  • Limnological Review (ISSN: 2300-7575) covers all different subdisciplines of freshwater environment studies. Our aim is to provide a platform for publication, information, and debate, encompassing all areas which fall within the scope of freshwater science. Limnological Review is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Piotr Rzymski (Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poland);
  • Coasts (ISSN: 2673-964X) focuses on coastal engineering, management, conservation, biology, and ecology. Coasts is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Francisco Taveira Pinto (Civil Engineering and Georesources Department, University of Porto, Portugal and CIIMAR—Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Marine Energy and Hydraulic Structures, Portugal).
  Launch year Impact Factor (2024) CiteScore (2024) First Decision (median) APC
2009 3.0 6.0 17.5 CHF 2600
2013 2.8 5.0 16.4 CHF 2600
2014 3.2 5.9 15.3 CHF 1800
2012 3.2 7.2 26.1 CHF 1600
2020 1.6 3.5 23.3 CHF 1600
2010 / 1.4 21.8 CHF 1000
2021 / / 23.2 CHF 1000

MDPI’s Mission and Values:
As a pioneer of academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. MDPI’s guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:

  • Open Access—All of our content is published in open access and distributed under a Creative Commons License, providing free access to science and the latest research, allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
  • Timeliness and Efficiency—Publishing the latest research through thorough editorial work, ensuring a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and papers are published within 7–10 days upon acceptance;
  • Simplicity—Offering user-friendly tools and services in one place to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
  • High Quality Service—Supporting scholars and their work by providing a range of options such as journal publication at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and conferences on sciforum.net to make a positive impact on research;
  • Flexibility—Adapting and developing new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
  • Rooted in Sustainability—Ensuring the long-term preservation of published papers and supporting the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards.

By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open science practices.

Selected Topics and Special Issues:

Selected Articles:
Water
Trees in Sponge Cities—A Systematic Review of Trees as a Component of Blue-Green Infrastructure, Vegetation Engineering Principles, and Stormwater Management

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Modes of Operation and Forcing in Oil Spill Modeling: State-of-Art, Deficiencies and Challenges

Hydrology
A Machine Learning Approach to Map the Vulnerability of Groundwater Resources to Agricultural Contamination

Resources
Synthesis Methods, Properties, and Modifications of Biochar-Based Materials for Wastewater Treatment: A Review

Oceans
The Abundance of Microplastics in the World’s Oceans: A Systematic Review

Limnological Review
The Possible Use of Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Signal and Spectral Analysis to Identify Habitat Condition of Aquatic Plants

Coasts
Spatial and Temporal Changes in the Fish Fauna of a Low-Inflow Estuary following a Mass Mortality Event and Natural and Artificial Bar Breaches

11 June 2025
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering Receives an Increased CiteScore of 5.0


We are pleased to share that the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE, ISSN: 2077-1312) has received an increased CiteScore of 5.0 in June 2025, an impressive achievement for a journal running in Volume 13.

JMSE’s CiteScore ranks as follows:

  • Q2 (30 out of 114) in the “Ocean Engineering” category;
  • Q2 (116 out of 407) in the “Civil and Structural Engineering” category;
  • Q2 (87 out of 279) in the “Water Science and Technology”

You can find more statistics on our website.

The current CiteScores measure the average number of citations within a journal over a four-year window (2021–2024). The Scopus database provides a comprehensive suite of metrics that support informed publishing strategies, research evaluation and enable benchmarking of journal performance.

This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editors. Together we will continue to track the progress of JMSE and its growing impact in marine science and engineering.

6 June 2025
World Oceans Day—“Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us”, 8 June 2025


The ocean covers over 70% of the planet and is our life source, providing sustenance to humanity and every other organism on Earth. With 90% of large fish populations depleted and 50% of coral reefs destroyed, we are taking more from the ocean than can be replenished. There is an urgent need for us to work together to create a new balance with the ocean—one that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life.

“Wonder: Sustaining what sustains us” is the theme for World Oceans Day 2025. We hope that established MDPI journals in the field of Environmental & Earth Sciences, including Atmosphere, Biology, Climate, Coasts, Conservation, Environments, Fishes, Geosciences, Genes, Hydrology, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, Meteorology, Oceans, Remote Sensing, Sustainability, Taxonomy and Water, will provide a valuable platform for the exchange of innovative ideas regarding ocean protection.

● Atmosphere; ● Biology; ● Climate; ● Coasts;
● Conservation; ● Environments; ● Fishes; ● Geoscience;
● Genes; ● Hydrology; ● Journal of Marine Science and Engineering; ● Meteorology;
● Oceans; ● Remote Sensing; ● Sustainability; ● Taxonomy.
● Water;

 

 

 

Sea Surface Temperature and Marine Heat Wave Predictions in the South China Sea: A 3D U-Net Deep Learning Model Integrating Multi-Source Data
by Bowen Xie, Jifeng Qi, Shuguo Yang, Guimin Sun, Zhongkun Feng, Baoshu Yin and Wenwu Wang
Atmosphere 2024, 15(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15010086

Special Issues: 

The Occurrence and Distribution of Persistent and Emerging Organic Contaminants in the Coast
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Emmanuel Sinagra and Dr. Anna Białk-Bielińska
Submission deadline: 20 September 2025

Long-Term Signature of Carbon Cycle in Marine Systems: Evidence from Geochemistry
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Simon C. George, Dr. Qiannan Xu, Dr. Lian Jiang and Dr. Xiaoqi Wang
Submission deadline: 31 October 2025

Simulation of Seawater Intrusion and Upconing Processes in Mediterranean Aquifer in Response to Climate Change (Plana de Castellón, Spain)
by Barbara del R. Almazan-Benitéz, Maria V. Esteller-Alberich, Arianna Renau-Pruñonosa and José L. Expósito-Castillo
Hydrology 2024, 11(12), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11120205

Estimating the Temporal Impacts of Nearshore Fisheries on Coastal Ocean-Sourced Waste Accumulation in South Korea Using Stepwise Regression
by Seung-Hyun Lee, Seung-Kweon Hong, Jongsung Lee, Ji-Won Yu, Hong-Tae Kim and Tae-Hwan Joung
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5663; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135663

Mercury Biogeochemistry and Biomagnification in the Mediterranean Sea: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects in the Context of Climate Change
by Roberto Bargagli and Emilia Rota
Coasts 2024, 4(1), 89-107; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4010006

Special Issues:

Physical Interactions Between Ocean-Atmosphere Boundary Layers from Turbulent to Climate Scales
Guest Editor: Dr. Ronald B. Souza
Submission deadline: 31 October 2025

Air-Sea Interactions: Recent Trends, Current Progress and Future Directions
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Flávio Justino
Submission deadline: 31 October 2025

The Dynamics and Impacts of Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling on Regional and Global Climate
Guest Editors: Dr. Aixue Hu and Dr. Mengrong Ding
Submission deadline: 31 January 2026
 
 

The Impact of Marine Heatwaves on Isotherm Displacement and Tuna Distribution in Vanuatu
by Hannah Weinberg, Jessica Bhardwaj, Andrew B. Watkins and Yuriy Kuleshov
Climate 2024, 12(11), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12110181

Typical Marine Ecological Disasters in China Attributed to Marine Organisms and Their Significant Insights
by Lulu Yao, Peimin He, Zhangyi Xia, Jiye Li and Jinlin Liu
Biology 2024, 13(9), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13090678

Diatom Flora from Time-Series Sediment Trap in the Kuroshio Extension Region of the Northwestern Pacific
by Joon Sang Park, Hyung Jeek Kim, Kyun-Woo Lee, Hyun Ju Ha and Yun Jae Kim
Taxonomy 2024, 4(3), 507-547; https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy4030025

Ecological Impacts of Coastal Protection on the Vegetation of Sandy Coasts at the German Baltic Sea Coast
by Daniela Glueck, Ulf Schiefelbein and Hendrik Schubert
Coasts 2024, 4(2), 437-453; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts4020022

Growth Performance and Environmental Quality Indices and Biomarkers in a Co-Culture of the European Sea Bass with Filter and Deposit Feeders: A Case Study of an IMTA System
by Efthimia Cotou, Helen Miliou, Evanthia Chatzoglou, Eirini Schoina, Nektarios Politakis, Dimitra Kogiannou, Eleni Fountoulaki, Afrodite Androni, Aggeliki Konstantinopoulou, Georgia Assimakopoulou et al.
Fishes 2024, 9(2), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9020069

Stage-Specific Transcriptomes of the Mussel Mytilus coruscus Reveals the Developmental Program for the Planktonic to Benthic Transition
by Yu-Qing Wang, Qi Liu, Yan Zhou, Lizhi Chen, Yue-Ming Yang, Xue Shi, Deborah M. Power and Yi-Feng Li
Genes 2023, 14(2), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14020287

Special Issues:

Genetic Status and Perspectives of Fisheries Resources
Guest Editor: Dr. Wei Wang
Submission deadline: 31 October 2025

Environmental DNA (eDNA) for Assessment of Coastal Marine Biodiversity
Guest Editors: Dr. Maurizio Pinna and Dr. Valeria Specchia
Submission deadline: 15 December 2025

Sustainable Fisheries Dynamics
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Rong Wan and Prof. Dr. Junbo Zhang
Submission deadline: 30 December 2025

Coastal Ecosystems Under Pressure: Research on Biogeochemistry, Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management
Guest Editors: Dr. Marija Marguš and Dr. Jelena Mandić
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025

Social Sciences in Marine Ecology Conservation
Guest Editors: Dr. Chia-Hsuan Hsu and Dr. Jiefeng Kang
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025

 

 

IchthyNet: An Ensemble Method for the Classification of In Situ Marine Zooplankton Shadowgraph Images
by Brittney Slocum and Bradley Penta
Oceans 2025, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/oceans6010007

Exploring the Potential of Sentinel-1 Ocean Wind Field Product for Near-Surface Offshore Wind Assessment in the Norwegian Arctic
by Eduard Khachatrian, Patricia Asemann, Lihong Zhou, Yngve Birkelund, Igor Esau and Benjamin Ricaud
Atmosphere 2024, 15(2), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15020146

CanStoc: A Hybrid Stochastic–GCM System for Monthly, Seasonal and Interannual Predictions
by Shaun Lovejoy and Lenin Del Rio Amador
Meteorology 2023, 2(4), 509-529; https://doi.org/10.3390/meteorology2040029

Special Issues:

Oceans from Space V
Guest Editor: Dr. Vittorio Barale
Submission deadline: 1 October 2025

Characterization and Monitoring of Coastal Hydrological Environment for Assessing the Impact of Seawater Intrusion on Coastal Aquifers
Guest Editors: Dr. Francesco Ronchetti, Dr. Marco Doveri and Dr. Marco Pola
Submission deadline: 18 October 2025

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