MDPI Open Science Insights: Academic Publishing Exchange at Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand
MDPI recently had the opportunity to meet scholars in person at Rangsit University, a well-known educational institution in Thailand. The aim of the exchange was to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills required to handle the complex paper publication process. It focused on improving their English writing proficiency, facilitating appropriate responses to peer reviewers, and exploring the transformative applications of artificial intelligence in the publishing domain.
Prof. Dr. Suejit Pechprasarn, Dean of the Graduate School, Rangsit University, gave an inspiring opening speech at the event, emphasizing the critical role of publishing in advancing academic excellence and innovation. Prof. Dr. Suejit highlighted the university’s commitment to increasing research output, particularly through open access publishing, which provides global visibility and accessibility to scholarly work. The event was tailored to support master’s and Ph.D. students, as well as faculty members, offering practical guidance to enhance their research and publishing endeavors. The event served as a valuable resource for participants, equipping them with the skills and insights necessary to contribute to the university’s mission of expanding its academic impact in the coming years.
In the first session, Dr. Janenipa Saupsor, Deputy Office Manager of MDPI Thailand, provided an insightful introduction to MDPI, covering its history, background, vision, and growth over the years. She also presented an overview of MDPI’s related journals, including Sustainability, Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, and Administrative Sciences, offering the audience detailed insights into these journals and their academic focus areas. Dr. Janenipa expressed her gratitude to Rangsit University for the opportunity to participate in this event and emphasized her enthusiasm for future collaborations.
In the second session, MDPI’s Regional Journal Relations Specialist, Dr. Krit Inthajak, presented “How to Write Scientific Papers in English”. This session focused on how to prepare a manuscript before submitting it to the publishing house and how to draw attention from the readers and reviewers. Next, he discussed each of the main sections of the manuscript, including the front matter, the main text, and the back matter. He also highlighted areas where the authors could prevent ethical issues during manuscript processing.
The third session, “How to Respond to Peer-Reviewers”, was presented by Regional Journal Relations Specialist Ms. Hathaipat Kittirojana. She discussed various aspects of the open access publishing model and the reviewer process at MDPI. During the session, she engaged with the audience. Many audience members were preparing to submit manuscripts to MDPI and had questions about how to effectively address reviewers’ concerns to avoid rejection, as well as how to handle paper rejections. Ms. Hathaipat then explained MDPI’s editorial process, outlining the different revision decisions and what each decision entails. She also offered practical advice for responding to reviewers and shared insights into the types of feedback authors may face during revisions. In conclusion, she encouraged the audience to remain positive, open-minded, and professional when replying to reviewers.
The final session was conducted by Regional Journal Relations Specialist Ms. Ploy Assavajamroon on “Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Publishing”. She started by providing an overview of AI technology nowadays before demonstrating an updated model, “Generative AI (Gen AI)”, its capabilities, and its impacts on scientific publishing. Following the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) position statement, MDPI’s guidelines on AI use for authors and reviewers were thoroughly explained. Afterward, she introduced some AI tools that MDPI’s AI team developed to assist and facilitate internal and external users in the editorial processes and services.
In conclusion, this event at Rangsit University was a success. It not only equipped students with the essential tools for navigating the publication landscape but also deepened their understanding of responding to reviewers and the potential of AI in the publishing industry. This event further strengthened the connection between MDPI and Rangsit University, fostering a culture of academic excellence and innovation.
Please feel free to start a conversation with us at bangkok@mdpi.com if you would like to meet with MDPI in Thailand. We also anticipate continuing our collaboration with other leading educational institutions to empower the next generation of researchers and scholars.