Collaboration Beyond the Publication Process: MDPI Annual Report 2025
Supporting the scholarly community remains a fundamental pillar of MDPI’s mission to advance open science.
Beyond the publication process, MDPI is dedicated to supporting researchers through platforms and programs built around their needs, and through ongoing investment in their communities.
In 2025, much of MDPI’s success can be attributed to this dedication. By working with institutions, societies, and researchers across the globe, MDPI fortified its existing relationships in 2025, whilst also building new partnerships.
Here, we explore how MDPI supported and engaged with the academic community in 2025.
Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)
2025 marked a year of continued success for MDPI’s IOAP team, bringing more than 150 new IOAP accounts, totalling more than 1000 supported partners worldwide.
With the core values of transparency, flexibility, and collaboration in mind, the IOAP team’s regional specialists build partnerships that work for MDPI and institutions alike.
These partnerships require collaboration and an acknowledgment of institutions’ diverse and complex needs, which MDPI continues to accommodate as more institutions embrace Open Access.
Tailored support for universities
In the context of growing numbers of funder mandates, limited budgets, and varying policies, MDPI recognizes that a one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable for every institution.
For this reason, MDPI champions adaptable agreements which are tailored to individual institution’s priorities. These adaptations have previously included:
- Consolidated billing
- Author-level discounts
- Customized reporting that aligns with local compliance requirements
Through regular communication with librarians, research administrators, and Editorial Board members, MDPI’s IOAP team continued to maintain relationships that are both professional and responsive in 2025.
Expansion and renewal
In 2025, all major consortium agreements were renewed, along with 2 new consortium agreements in North America. Further, our collaboration with ZB MED in Germany, expanded to more than 120 research institutions as the year concluded.
A new IOAP agreement with Bibsam, the Swedish research library consortium, enables researchers to publish with MDPI at no additional cost under a flat annual fee. Covering 96 universities, university colleges, and government institutes, this new agreement reflects the IOAP team’s success at connecting academic communities at a national level.
The team also secured more than 150 new partnerships across established markets such as Germany, Thailand, the United States of America, Canada, Poland, China, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.
Importantly, the program also expanded into new markets, welcoming the first IOAP partnerships in India, Bahrain, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This milestone reflects MDPI’s determination to supporting the transition to Open Access in markets where barriers to publication can be most critical.
Usage transparency and COUNTER compliance
MDPI became COUNTER 5.1 compliant and joined the COUNTER registry in 2025. COUNTER provides international standards for tracking and reporting on the access, impact, and publishing value of research.
With COUNTER-compliant reports, MDPI’s 1051 institutional partners can now make more informed decisions about publishing agreements, funding allocations, and the long-term value of Open Access.
This transparency builds trust and allows institutions to make informed decisions about value and investment.
Convening academic communities through conferences and events
In its mission to engender meaningful collaborations and drive progress across all scientific fields, MDPI understands the importance of providing spaces for the global research community to gather, debate, and work together.
In 2025, MDPI supported vital dialogue by hosting 12 in-person events, which brought together 2044 participants and received more than 2100 abstract submissions.
Additionally, a further 26,148 attendees, across 48 virtual events, highlights the sustained desire for face-to-face engagement, regardless of geographical barriers.
Totalling more than 28,000 attendees, these events were characterized by high-profile keynote participation, strong international diversity, and inclusive networking formats.
World Sustainability Forum (WSF 11)
Amongst an expansive list of successful events, the 11th World Sustainability Forum (WSF 11) emerges as a particular highlight.
Taking place in Barcelona, Spain, the event consisted of 181 participants from 53 countries, all focused on advancing sustainable and resilient cities. WSF 11 received more than 335 abstract submissions, 144 of which were accepted.
The international engagement of WSF 11 stresses the necessity of scholarly collaboration for advancing research and tackling pressing global issues. Additionally, it demonstrated how professionally executed events continue to hold immense value in building trust and continuing MDPI’s commitment to fostering meaningful scientific dialogue.
“Thank you for MDPI Sustainability’s tremendous effort in organizing WSF11, both in terms of the seamless website platform and the diverse scientific program.” — Dr. Wang Xiaochun, WSF Speaker
The conference also recognised exceptional scholars whose work continues to contribute to global sustainability efforts. The World Sustainability Award (WSA) and the Emerging Sustainable Leader Award (ESLA) were both presented to the winners at the event.
Listening and learning through regional summits
MDPI frequently hosts regional summits which provide an additional avenue to connect with academics across the globe.
In 2025, summits were held in Spain, Italy, France, the UK, Romania, China, and South Korea, each tailored to the regional academic communities and their unique priorities.
These summits are valuable listening sessions which allow MDPI to further refine editorial processes, understand local issues, and strengthen relationships with ambassadors within their respective local communities.
MDPI 2025 summit highlights: Rome and Bucharest
Taking place between 26 and 27 May 2025, the MDPI summit in Rome featured insightful presentations on Italy’s research landscape, covering AI in publishing, editorial processes, and research integrity.
At the MDPI Romania Summit in Bucharest between 21 and 22 October, MDPI welcomed more than 30 participants, including Editorial Board Members and representatives from the Romanian Academy and national accreditation bodies.
Supporting researchers with academic publishing workshops (APWs)
Academic Publishing Workshops (APWs) are another global initiative which brings MDPI’s editorial expertise directly to the research community.
They aim to demystify the Open Access publishing process and equip academic authors with the necessary skills and knowledge to publish their work. They are free to attend and take place both online and in person.
In 2025, MDPI delivered training for postgraduate and early-career researchers on various aspects of scholarly publishing, including:
- How to improve their academic writing
- How peer review maintains research quality
- Increasing chances of publication success
- Navigating the publishing process
- Discovering Open Access publishing
- Awareness of ethical guidelines
Partnerships with scientific societies
Scientific societies manage many of the specialized journals essential to their fields yet often lack the resources to compete with well-funded commercial publishers or meet the technical demands of modern Open Access publishing.
MDPI looks to amend these challenges by providing the reach and infrastructure of a leading Open Access publisher while preserving editorial autonomy for societies and generating sustainable revenue which supports their broader activities.
By the end of 2025, MDPI was collaborating with 214 societies, concluding 32 new agreements through the year. These included 25 affiliation agreements, 5 publishing agreements, and 2 acquisition agreements.
A testament to the prosperity of their ongoing partnerships, multiple society journals published on behalf of MDPI enjoyed significant indexing milestones in 2025:
- Clinical and Translational Neuroscience (CTN) and International Medical Education (IME) received their first Impact Factor.
- Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction (CMTR) was accepted into DOAJ
- CTN, IME, Dermatopathology, and Gout, Urate, and Crystal Deposition Disease (GUCDD), were added to Scopus.
Publishing agreements
MDPI was proud to be selected as the publishing partner for five journals in 2025.
Of these, MDPI’s agreement with the American Podiatric Medical Association for its Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association is particularly notable. Coinciding with the establishment of MDPI’s first U.S. office, these partnerships reflect both MDPI’s global expansion and the trust placed in it by societies across growing markets.
Other publishing agreements included:
- Romanian Journal of Preventive Medicine (RJPM), owned by the Romanian Society of Preventive Medicine
- Germs, owned by the Infection Science Forum
- Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics (JGG), owned by the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN), owned by the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Acquisition agreements
MDPI also acquired two society journals in 2025. These included the Journal of Interdisciplinary Research Applied to Medicine (JDReAM) and Cardiovascular Medicine (CvM).
Through the acquisition of Cardiovascular Medicine, MDPI ensured the continuation of the journal after its previous publisher, EMH Swiss Medical Publishers, ceased operations.
MDPI Awards and recognition
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting researchers, MDPI’s extensive awards program encourages excellence, collaboration, and innovation in research at all career stages and across all disciplines.
In 2025, MDPI awarded a cumulative total of 1.2 million CHF to more than 1100 recipients through its flagship and journal awards. The Award Committees selected winners from 53 countries/territories.
MDPI’s awards serve as a source of inspiration and recognition for exceptional scholars making outstanding contributions to their fields, demonstrating MDPI’s dedication to not just fostering a community but celebrating it.
Tu Youyou Award
Inspired by the enduring impact of Nobel Prize laureate Professor Tu Youyou, this award celebrates the exceptional researchers driving advancements in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
The Tu Youyou Award is given out every in two years and, in 2025, the Award Evaluation Committee announced its most recent recipients: Professor Richard DiMarchi and Professor Rolf Müller.
Professor DiMarchi’s exceptional contributions to peptide medicinal chemistry and the treatment of metabolic diseases, along with Professor Müller’s pioneering work in microbial natural products and biotechnology, positioned them as equally deserving winners of this prestigious award. They shared the monetary prize of 100,000 CHF.
Michele Parrinello Award
In November 2025, MDPI established the Michele Parrinello Award in celebration of Professor Michele Parrinello’s remarkable career.
A pioneer in computational physical sciences, Professor Parrinello is credited with an abundance of significant achievements and stands as an embodiment of innovation and scientific excellence.
This new award named in his honor will carry a monetary prize of 100,000 EUR, along with a commemorative medal and an award certificate.
Scaling Open Access with integrity
In 2025, MDPI’s success was underscored by its unwavering commitment to provide multifaceted support for research communities across the globe.
From expanding institutional partnerships and strengthening society collaborations to convening global events and delivering scholarly recognition, MDPI continues to deliver collaboration beyond the publication process.
Open access publishing continued to expand in 2025, and MDPI’s growth in 2025 mirrored the broader shift toward openness.
MDPI received more than 669,000 manuscript submissions in 2025, an increase of 12% compared with 2024, representing the sustained confidence researchers place its journals to deliver impactful and accessible scientific publications.
