The 4th Sustainable Publishing Forum
The 4th Sustainable Publishing Forum
Part of the Sustainable Publishing Forum series
Innovations in Scholarly Publishing, Intellectual Property Challenges, Legal Property Challenges, OA Business Models, Transformative Agreements, KUDOS, OA Research Evaluation Processes, Ethics in AI, Quality and Editorial Concepts in Scholarly Publishing
Welcome from the Chairs
To the Global Community of Scholarly Publishing Professionals,
We are pleased to welcome you to the 4th Sustainable Publishing Forum (SPF 2025), taking place in the vibrant city of Barcelona. Building on the success of our previous forums, including the 3rd Basel Sustainable Publishing Forum, this year marks an exciting milestone as we launch the event on the international stage. We are delighted to invite you to join us in Barcelona on 13th and 14th November 2025 for this exciting two-day conference.
The past editions brought together participants from various regions to exchange ideas, discuss innovations, and explore collaborative opportunities. With this fourth edition, we aim to expand the reach of our discussions, welcome a truly global audience, and advance our shared goals for the future of sustainable scholarly publishing.
This forum features the five following focused sessions addressing critical topics in the publishing world:
- Innovations in Scholarly Publishing: Unveiling transformative technologies and methods redefining the publishing landscape.
- Quality and Editorial Concepts in Scholarly Publishing: Enhancing standards and practices to uphold academic integrity and excellence.
- Generative Artificial Intelligence in Scholarly Publishing: Exploring the impact of AI tools on authorship, peer review, editorial workflows, and ethical considerations.
- Legal and Intellectual Property Challenges: Addressing the complexities of copyright, ethics, and intellectual property management.
- Scientometrics Using Open Data: Leveraging open data sources to analyze research trends, impact metrics, and evidence-based evaluation of scholarly output.
Additionally, our panel session entitled “Will Gen AI kill editorial publishing?” will convene stakeholders from various sectors of the publishing industry for a roundtable discussion, fostering dialogue on common challenges and pathways to collaboration.
Why Attend this Event?
- Be inspired by thought-provoking discussions led by experts.
- Discover the latest trends and innovations in sustainable publishing.
- Engage with peers and expand your professional network.
We look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona for this event, where you will have the chance to share your insights, connect with industry leaders, and help shape the future of our field.
Kind regards,
The Topical Advisory Board
Sustainable Publishing Forum (SPF 2025)
Tentative Program Overview
Day 1 | 13 November 2025
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Day 2 | 14 November 2025
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| Keynote Speech 1: The Future of Open Access: Opportunities and Challenges | Keynote Speech 3: TBD |
| Session 1: Innovations in Scholarly Publishing - Transformative Agreements and Business Models - Open Access and Research Evaluation Processes - Post-Publication Practices in Open Access (KUDOS) |
Session 4: Legal and Intellectual Property Challenges - Legal Challenges in Open Access Publishing (Retention Rights Policies) - Intellectual Property in the Digital Age and the Use of Generative AI - Ethics in AI and Open Science |
| Session 2: Quality and Editorial Concepts in Scholarly Publishing - Ensuring Quality in Scholarly Publications - Limitations in Peer Review - Innovative Editorial Concepts |
Session 5: Scientometrics Using Open Data - OpenAlex - ORCHID - Open Datasets |
| Keynote Speech 2: Overview on Today's AI Tools for Authors | Workshop 1: Modern Article Preparation: Global Tools Used by Authors and How Readers Discover Sources |
| Panel session: “Will Gen AI kill the Editorial Publishing?” | Workshop 2: TBD |
| Session 3: Generative Artificial Intelligence in Scholarly Publishing - Effects on Scientific Production and Methodologies (Literature Review) - Tools to Improve Data Processing and Efficiency - AI Generated Scientific Books - Startups |
Topical Advisory Board
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA.
STEM publishing and digital delivery models; bibliometrics; best practices for editors, authors and reviewers.
Dr. Alexandre López-Borrull is an associate professor at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), where he is the director of the Bachelor's Degree in Information and Documentation. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a Bachelor's degree in Documentation from the UOC. As a researcher, he has worked on the legal aspects of information and electronic information sources in science and technology, and has participated in various research and transfer projects. His current research interests are related to disinformation and open science. He is also a member of the GAME research group (UOC).
With a career in publishing going back to 1986, Peter Roth has witnessed the development of the Open Access publishing concept since its inception. Peter, who joined MDPI in 2019, has a keen focus on ensuring that the Open Access model delivers a ‘triple win’: success for our customers, success for ourselves as a company, and success for the scientific community at large. He was for many years Director of the Editorial Division of Karger Publishers, a worldwide publisher of scientific and medical content based in Basel, Switzerland. Peter has extensive experience of editorial strategy, publication concept development and management, and new business development and customer relationship management on all continents, especially in Asia. Within MDPI, he has overseen the establishment of a range of new journals and books, reorganised editorial governance, and set up our first office in Japan.
Registration
In-Person Registration
The forum will be held fully in person. It is not possible to participate online. The registration fee includes attendance at all conference sessions, morning/afternoon coffee breaks, lunches and a program book.
You need to register to the Conference dinner if you plan to attend. Participation in the conference is considered final only once the registration fees have been paid. The number of participants is limited: once the number of paid registrations reaches the maximum number of participants, unpaid registrations will be canceled.
When registering, please provide us with your institutional email address. This will accelerate the registration process.
If you are registering several people under the same registration, please do not use the same email address for each person, but their individual university email addresses. Thank you for your understanding.
The deadline for registration is 10th November 2025.
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Early Bird Until 31 August 2025 |
Regular Until 10 November 2025 |
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| Consultant, Service provider, solution provider, etc. | 450.00 EUR | 650.00 EUR |
| Academic – Research Institutions | Free | Free |
| Publishing Peers | Free | Free |
Cancellation policy
| Cancellation of paid registration is possible under the terms listed below: | |
| > 2 months before the conference | Full refund but 60 EUR is retained for administration |
| > 1 month before the conference | Refund 50% of the applying fees |
| > 2 weeks before the conference | Refund 25% of the applying fees |
| < 2 weeks before the conference | No refund |
Disclaimer
In the unlikely event that MDPI deems it necessary to cancel the conference, all pre-paid registration fees will be reimbursed. MDPI shall not be liable for reimbursing the cost of travel or accommodation arrangements made by individual delegates.
Beware of unauthorized registration and hotel solicitations
Note that Sciforum is the only official registration platform to register to SPF 2025 and that we are not associated with any hotel agency. While other hotel resellers and travel agencies may contact you with offers for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with SPF 2025 or Sciforum. Beware that entering into financial agreements with non-endorsed companies can have costly consequences.
Insurance
The organizers do not accept liability for personal accident, loss, or damage to private property incurred as a result of participation in SPF 2025. Delegates are advised to arrange appropriate insurance to cover travel, cancellation, or medical costs, and theft or damage of belongings.
MDPI Conference Admissions Policy
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All registered conference delegates are asked to always wear their badges throughout the conference.
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Conference sessions, the catering area, and the poster area are solely restricted to badge holders. Any person attending these areas without a badge will be asked to leave the premises.
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Badge holders must not allow their badges to be worn by anyone else. Any failure to do so is likely to lead to the badge holder and the person wearing the badge being removed from the premises.
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Press badges are restricted to publishers, editors, journalists, broadcasters, and web bloggers associated with the conference subject area. Members of the press may be asked to produce accreditation in the form of a photocopy of a recognized press or media card, a business card, a letter from the editor, or an official web address linking to a press release in order to verify their position.
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Photographs and videos may be taken during the conference. Anyone attending the conference consents to such photography and filming without compensation and confirms that the organizers shall be entitled to use such photographs and videos, which may include photographs and videos of visitors, for the purpose of marketing the conference in the future and for exploitation in any and all media, without liability.
Payment methods
Wire transfer, Credit card
Currencies accepted by this event
Swiss francs (CHF) , Euros (EUR) , US dollars (USD) , Pounds sterling (GBP) , Japanese yen (JPY) , Canadian dollars (CAD) and Singapore dollars (SGD)
Location and Venue
UPF - BSM
Address: C/ de Balmes, 132, 134, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Visa Information
Please note that you must apply for your own visa application. MDPI is not responsible for any visa application. However, MDPI can provide a Visa Support Letter. To be eligible for such a document, the criteria below must be fulfilled.
Visa Support Letter
- Applicants must have registration in order to get a letter of support.
- Applicants must provide us with a scan of their valid, in-date passport that contains a photo of them.
- Applicants must provide us with an academic CV, two references from their institution (contact information including institutional email and phone), and a letter of support from their institution to confirm that they support the delegate attending the meeting.
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This must be carried out in good time before the meeting; “last minute” requests will not be processed.
More useful information on visa application
Plan Your Trip
Barcelona
Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia and is Spain's second-largest city, with a population of over one and a half million people.
Located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, this city has a rich and diverse history, with its roots dating back to Roman times. The fruitful medieval period established Barcelona's position as the economic and political center of the Western Mediterranean. The city's Gothic Quarter bears witness to the splendor enjoyed by the city from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
The 20th century ushered in widespread urban renewal throughout Barcelona city, culminating in its landmark Eixample district, which showcases some of Barcelona's most distinctive Catalan art-nouveau, or modernista, buildings. The Catalan Antoni Gaudí, one of the most eminent architects, designed buildings such as La Pedrera, the Casa Batlló, and the Sagrada Família church, which have become world-famous landmarks.
In 1992, Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic games, which brought about a massive upturn in its tourism industry. For visitors, this has translated into the very modern yet incredibly old city you see now in the 21st century, where new elements work to both preserve and celebrate the city’s heritage and origins.
Barcelona has plenty of outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums, and churches. The city is also very walkable, with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations.
Travel
Barcelona is a vibrant and accessible city with excellent transportation links. Whether you're arriving by plane, train, or other means, there are convenient options to reach your destination. Below, you'll find detailed guidance to ensure a smooth journey to the conference venue.
By plane:
The international airport of Barcelona, Barcelona-El Prat, is located 10 km from the city center. It is well connected to major airport hubs in Europe and various locations worldwide. For more information about the airport and flights, please visit the official website: https://www.aena.es. Once you arrive at the airport, you have several options to reach the venue:
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By train: Take the TRAIN R2 NORD (https://rodalies.gencat.cat). Disembark at Barcelona Sants station. From there, you can either take METRO L5 (get off at Diagonal) or a taxi, available just outside the station. The train from the airport costs EUR 4.60, and the metro costs EUR 2.55. Tickets can be purchased at train stations and metro stops, respectively. A taxi from the station to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 10.
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By metro: Take LINE L9 (https://www.tmb.cat). which connects Barcelona Airport (both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) to the city. Disembark at Collblanc station, and from there, transfer to METRO L5 (get off at Diagonal). The metro from the airport costs EUR 5.50, and the city metro costs EUR 2.55.
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By taxi: Taxis are readily available just outside the arrivals area. A taxi from the airport to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 30–35. Alternatively, VTC apps like Bolt and Cabify also operate in Barcelona and might offer more competitive rates.
By train:
Barcelona Sants is the city's largest train station, providing rail services for Barcelona, the rest of Spain, and international destinations. For more information about the station and train services, please visit the official website: https://www.renfe.com. Once you arrive at the station, you have the following options to reach the venue:
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By metro: Take LINE L5 (https://www.tmb.cat) and get off at Diagonal.
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By taxi: axis are available just outside the station. A taxi from the station to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 10.
Sponsors and Partners
As organizers, we are excited to create an immersive and insightful event, and we invite you to be a vital part of SPF 2025. Explore our sponsorship opportunities and join us in shaping the future of sustainable scholarly publishing.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email at spf2025@mdpi.com.
We appreciate your consideration!
For information regarding sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please click here.
Organizers
Media Partners
Conference Secretariat
Mr. Spatar Ionut
Ms. Iuliana Adelina Platon
spf2025@mdpi.com
