Blog Article Count: 1
PhD opportunity Article Count: 1
New Publication Article Count: 2
Guest Blog -
GEO-GNOME Article Count: 1
Guest Blog -
Projects Article Count: 18
Uncategorized Article Count: 44
Content Slider Article Count: 2
News Article Count: 176
Global News Article Count: 342
Scholarship Opportunity Article Count: 4
Call for Abstracts Article Count: 8
New Publication Article Count: 97
MRI News Article Count: 175
MRI Anniversary Lecture Article Count: 6
20 Years of Our Changing Mountains Article Count: 3
Funding Opportunity Article Count: 1
Education & Training Article Count: 5
GEO Mountains Article Count: 14
Spotlight: Early Career Article Count: 1
Team Article Count: 0
MRI Governance Article Count: 1
Principal Investigators Article Count: 4
The MRI's Principal Investigators are established academics based in Switzerland who guide the MRI's strategic direction as the MRI Board. They outline the objectives of the network and the features that define the functions of the MRI Coordination Office in supporting it.
Find a list of our former Principal Investigators here.
Coordination Office Article Count: 5
The MRI Coordination Office works with the mountain research community to identify research priorities and possibilities for common action, and supports this common action by providing targeted funding, coordination, and administrative assistance. It also strives to keep the research community informed, and works with research organizations and funding agencies to ensure that mountain global change topics are recognized and addressed. The MRI Executive Director oversees the work of the MRI Coordination Office and contributes to the strategic and operational discussions and decisions made within the MRI Governing Body.
Through its activities, the MRI Coordination Office aims to: 1) strengthen the mountain research network; 2) bolster research activity; 3) enable capacity-building; 4) support thematic advocacy for mountains; 5) provide resource opportunities; 6) facilitate science-policy-society interactions; and 7) communicate effectively.
The MRI Coordination Office is hosted by the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Bern, Switzerland.
Science Leadership Council Article Count: 11
The Science Leadership Council (SLC) provides advice and impetus for the MRI's scientific activities. SLC members are observers of the strategic environment. They are also key contributors to research on mountain regions, and through their own activities carry forward the MRI's scientific agenda.
The Science Leadership Council meets on a regular basis to discuss the MRI's strategic and operational issues, as part of their engagement within the MRI Governing Body.
Find a list of our former SLC members here.
SLC Members 2023
Get Published Article Count: 95
A recommendation note from the MRI Governing Body and MRI Coordination Office on “predatory journals”
Predatory journals and predatory publishers have been defined as “entities that prioritise self-interest at the expense of scholarship and are characterised by false or misleading information, deviation from best editorial and publication practices, a lack of transparency, and/or the use of aggressive and indiscriminate solicitation practices” (Grudniewicz et al., 2019).
Publishing in predatory journals is highly problematic for a number of reasons*. For instance, it can damage one’s own reputation and/or the reputation of one’s institution; articles that are published in predatory journals do not offer any added value to researchers and science and further perpetuate practices that negatively impact science and scientific quality; or visibility can be limited given that some of these journals are not indexed by reputable citation indexes and literature databases, with no guarantee of long-term access to published articles. Furthermore, such articles often enter the public domain without rigorous quality control or thorough peer review, for instance by prioritising speedy reviews - irrespective of the suitability of the reviewers’ disciplinary expertise - instead of soliciting the relevant and key expertise for such reviews. Therefore, all publications in such journals endanger the credibility of publicly-funded research, diminish the value of research that would otherwise receive greater recognition if published in reputable journals, and contribute to a general distrust of scientific publications.
The MRI encourages open science practices and the accessible dissemination of results of high-quality scientific research. The choices made as to where and how this research is published are also key aspects that need attention and careful consideration by the mountain research community. Therefore, and in view of the issues raised by predatory publishing practices, the MRI strongly recommends that researchers exercise their own responsibility and judgment and carefully consider where they choose to publish their work, and where they agree to guest edit special issues, by consulting trusted sources of information and learning more about predatory publishing practices.
Useful resources we recommend (non-exhaustive):
- Grudniewicz et al (2019). Predatory journals: no definition, no defense. Nature, 576, 210-212.
- Think.Check.Submit. A site that helps researchers identify trusted journals and publishers for their research.
- The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) report (2022): Combatting Predatory Academic Journals and Conferences
- Blog: “Combating predatory journals and conferences through systemic change in scientific publishing” (International Science Council)
- UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science
* Adapted from Swiss National Science Foundation: FAQ What is the SNSF’s position with regard to predatory journals?
Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding the issue of predatory publishing practices? We’d love to hear from you! Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at the MRI Coordination Office.
MRI / 20.10.2022
