Thanks to MDPI’s innovative society journal service, launching a journal has never been easier.

Societies provide many different benefits to their members, such as a space to network with other academics, financial aid, support and mentorship. Thus, having a society journal provides an additional benefit for members.

This post provides an overview of how society journals are launched, a shout-out to our newest society journal International Medical Education (IME), and an overview of International Journal of Geo-Information (IJGI), launched ten years ago.

How Do We Launch a Society Journal?

As soon as a society contacts us, we start communicating with them to get to know the society, and to provide the best support and services. This is done by keeping the society in mind and taking its members into consideration as well.

Some societies may be launching a journal for the very first time and need hands-on guidance. Our dedicated Societies Team provides support for societies who have just started on their publishing journey and can give advice and direction.

There are societies that already have their own journal(s). So the advantage for them is that MDPI can handle and coordinate the entire publication process.

Launching our Newest Society Journal

One of the newest society journals launched by MDPI is the International Medical Education (IME).

Let’s take a closer look at their journey to launch!

In September 2021, the Academic Society for International Medical Education (ASIME) reached out and contacted our society team. They had the idea of launching an open access journal in the field of medical education.

First, our society team worked closely with Prof. Hideki Kasuya, Editor-in-Chief of IME, and other society representatives. Then they got to know the society, its goals, and its expectations. The staff adjusted the contract to the interests of both the society and MDPI.

The publishing agreement was signed in January 2022, and the journal was launched in May 2022. The first full volume will appear soon, in September 2022.

Prof. Kasuya explains:

We want to encourage the exchange of ideas and experiences from the many different cultures in which medical education is practiced worldwide. In doing so, we believe that we can bring the concept of medical education closer to international standards.

10^th Anniversary of IJGI’s Launch

We’ve discussed the newest society journal, IME. Now, let’s take a look at one celebrating its tenth anniversary since launch!

In 2012, the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) launched their journal International Journal of Geo-Information (IJGI) in collaboration with MDPI. IJGI has represented ISPRS as an important avenue for new research for ten years now, especially for ISPRS authors and academics in the field.

We spoke with Dr. Wolfgang Kainz, Editor-in-Chief of IJGI. He provided insight into his experiences with the journal.

What are the benefits for societies working with MDPI?

From my perspective as Editor-in-Chief, I see the following major benefits for societies:

1. A large platform to publish scientific papers related to the scope of the society
2. A web environment to efficiently handle submissions
3. A financial benefit in the form of support from MDPI, which results in a win-win situation for both parties

What is your experience of working with MDPI?

I have been working with MDPI now for 10 years as Editor-in-Chief of IJGI. First, I like the web platform, which makes the processing of submissions easy. Second, I appreciate the great support from the Editorial Office and their prompt reaction to any request and/or question that I have.

What are the benefits of launching an open access journal?

Open access journals aim for rapid publication. It is in academics’ best interests to have their work published quickly. Having said this, a thorough review process—even with the aim of rapid publishing—is crucial for the standing and reputation of open access journals. A clear benefit of publishing open access is attracting a lot of publications from research projects. Many grant organisations require the results of funded research to be published in open access.

If you’re interested in launching an MDPI journal, please visit our dedicated MDPI Societies page for the next steps.