ISC Forum on Publishing and Research Assessment

Background

This project expands upon the ISC’s work on the future of scientific publishing and reform of research assessment, aiming to realign science systems with the ISC’s vision of science as a global public good and strengthen the ISC’s role as the global voice for science.

Recognizing that publishing and research assessment are interconnected, this initiative will bring together both communities in a shared Forum to find solutions that address common challenges and create a concrete plan for coordinated action.

The project will convene quarterly online discussions to drive change and information sharing, along with an annual in-person meeting, the Forum, to foster partnerships. The ISC will also develop knowledge products and foundational documents to support the Forum and will aim for a broader campaign to promote good practices in research dissemination and assessment.

Through this work, the ISC aims to act as a convenor of key actors, including, but not limited to:

1. ISC Members
2. Other international organizations and networks working on publishing and research assessment (e.g., CoARA and DORA)
3. Universities and research institutes
4. Research funders (national and philanthropic)
5. Publishers (commercial and non-commercial)
6. Intellectual property organizations
7. Technology companies

Activities and impact

The Forum builds on the ISC’s legacy in scientific publishing and research assessment:

• Since 2019, the ISC has produced several key papers on scholarly publishing, including The Key Principles for Scientific Publishing and The Case for Reform of Scientific Publishing
• In parallel, the ISC has collaborated with the Global Young Academy (GYA) and InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) to assess global research evaluation practices and to reimagine evaluation for the 21st century. Read the papers resulting from this collaboration.
• Early 2024: The ISC began building the Forum by reaching out to stakeholders working on scientific publishing reform to gauge their interest in collective efforts.
• June 2024: Virtual meetings were held to discuss priorities identified through a stakeholders survey and to reach consensus on actions and next steps.
• June 2025: The ISC launched a call for a new Steering Group, inviting ISC Members to guide the project’s scope and activities.
• October 2025: The ISC plans to produce two key papers to inform the Forum:
  • A synthesis of the ISC’s previous work on scientific publishing and research assessment.
  • A paper on the governance of scientific knowledge dissemination processes.
• Late 2025: The Forum will be convened.

Image: Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons