The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources
Abstract MDPI, a rapidly growing mega-publisher, has significantly impacted scientific publishing with a large number of open-access journals covering all areas of knowledge. Fast publication times, numerous special issues, hundreds of guest editors, and incentives for reviewers contribute to its su...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Revista Chilena de Historia Natural |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40693-025-00136-0 |
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| author | Francisco E. Fontúrbel Juan L. Celis-Diez |
| author_facet | Francisco E. Fontúrbel Juan L. Celis-Diez |
| author_sort | Francisco E. Fontúrbel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract MDPI, a rapidly growing mega-publisher, has significantly impacted scientific publishing with a large number of open-access journals covering all areas of knowledge. Fast publication times, numerous special issues, hundreds of guest editors, and incentives for reviewers contribute to its success. However, concerns have arisen about the quality of its peer-review process and the overall quality of its publications; these practices have led some countries to question the validity of MDPI publications for academic evaluations. MDPI’s influence has surged in Chile, with publications rising from 1 to 13% between 2017 and 2023. While offering a solution to the “publish or perish” pressure, this growth has sparked a debate over the quality and sustainability of such publications. Public funding plays a significant role, with approximately 36% of MDPI papers in Chile financed by public funds through national research programs. This situation has raised concerns about the optimal use of these resources. Chilean science, renowned in South America, faces the challenge of maintaining high standards in the open-access era. The focus should be on quality over quantity to ensure impactful and innovative research contributions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-446469457fe0470f9e5b8aca98efcb00 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0717-6317 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revista Chilena de Historia Natural |
| spelling | doaj-art-446469457fe0470f9e5b8aca98efcb002025-01-12T12:43:59ZengBMCRevista Chilena de Historia Natural0717-63172025-01-019811410.1186/s40693-025-00136-0The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resourcesFrancisco E. Fontúrbel0Juan L. Celis-Diez1Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ValparaísoCentro Regional de Investigación e Innovación Para la Sostenibilidad de la Agricultura y los Territorios Rurales (CERES)Abstract MDPI, a rapidly growing mega-publisher, has significantly impacted scientific publishing with a large number of open-access journals covering all areas of knowledge. Fast publication times, numerous special issues, hundreds of guest editors, and incentives for reviewers contribute to its success. However, concerns have arisen about the quality of its peer-review process and the overall quality of its publications; these practices have led some countries to question the validity of MDPI publications for academic evaluations. MDPI’s influence has surged in Chile, with publications rising from 1 to 13% between 2017 and 2023. While offering a solution to the “publish or perish” pressure, this growth has sparked a debate over the quality and sustainability of such publications. Public funding plays a significant role, with approximately 36% of MDPI papers in Chile financed by public funds through national research programs. This situation has raised concerns about the optimal use of these resources. Chilean science, renowned in South America, faces the challenge of maintaining high standards in the open-access era. The focus should be on quality over quantity to ensure impactful and innovative research contributions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40693-025-00136-0Chilean scienceOpen-access publishingPeer review processScientific productivity |
| spellingShingle | Francisco E. Fontúrbel Juan L. Celis-Diez The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources Revista Chilena de Historia Natural Chilean science Open-access publishing Peer review process Scientific productivity |
| title | The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources |
| title_full | The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources |
| title_fullStr | The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources |
| title_full_unstemmed | The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources |
| title_short | The MDPIzation of chilean science: a wake-up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources |
| title_sort | mdpization of chilean science a wake up call about how we are conducting research and using public resources |
| topic | Chilean science Open-access publishing Peer review process Scientific productivity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40693-025-00136-0 |
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