Academic publishers are attempting to make inroads in China, considering the country’s growing investment in R&D and research output, as covered in a previous post. However, China’s unique characteristics make localizing a comparatively challenging task for publishers. Building a digital presence in China requires them to pay attention and adapt to relatively unique local conditions. Publishers have to deal with not only the Great Firewall of China but also powerful and highly innovative Chinese tech companies. Among these, three leaders stand out: 1) Baidu, which ..read more

In the dynamic landscape of academia and research, the importance of understanding intellectual property (IP) rights cannot be overstated. As universities continue to foster innovation and push the boundaries of knowledge, equipping their researchers with comprehensive training on intellectual property rights emerges as a crucial endeavor. Here are five compelling reasons why universities should prioritize such training: 1. Protecting Innovation Innovation lies at the heart of academic research. Universities invest significant resources in fostering an environment conducive to innovation, and ..read more

Making health information accessible When Andre Kushniruk was diagnosed with advanced stage tongue cancer in the fall of 2017, his surgeon told him that the tumor was too large to operate. Kushniruk, a professor of Health Information Science at the University of Victoria in Canada, was given a slim chance of surviving past two years. Kushiruk’s wife, also a health informatician, applied her skill and knowledge to verify his surgeon’s claim. Scouring through biomedical archives like PubMed, searching on Google and YouTube, and reading patient blogs, Kushniruk’s wife found that the situation was ..read more

In the rapidly evolving landscape of medical research, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing the way diseases are diagnosed, treatments are administered, and patient outcomes are predicted. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into medical practices, it is imperative for medical journal editors to establish comprehensive guidelines to ensure the integrity, transparency, and ethical use of AI in research articles. AI holds immense promise in augmenting clinical decision-making processes, analyzing vast datasets, and uncovering patterns that may eva ..read more

In an era when digital collaboration and online resources are critical to the distribution and advancement of academic and scientific knowledge, the importance of internet safety in these fields has grown dramatically. The transition to online publishing, virtual conferences, and web-based collaboration has exposed the academic and scientific communities to a slew of cyber threats. These dangers jeopardise not only personal and institutional data, but also the integrity of scientific research in general. As stewards of academic standards and ethics, research societies play an important role in ..read more

According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), “A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem.” In 2022 alone, 3.46 million patent applications were submitted, of which the maximum number of applications were from China, the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Germany. While India wasn’t one of the top five countries in filling patents, with 55718 patent applications, it had the highest growth in applications by 31.6% in that y ..read more

English is recognized as the most extensively spoken language globally (when including both native and non-native speakers). Sadly, more than 3,000 languages are considered “endangered” today—these are languages threatened by loss because a more prevalent language is being used by community members for instructing and conversing. The prevalent language or “lingua franca” in academia is English. English as a language is believed to hold “a near monopoly of published research”—a situation expected to continue to be so. English is the predominant language for scholarly journals, including those i ..read more

A patent grants an exclusive right for an invention to the owner such that others cannot commercially exploit the invention. This imposes social costs on the public which limits access to protected work. Although patents play an important role in promoting innovation and economic development, their role in social justice is complex and multi-layered. In the past few decades, increased scientific understanding has driven people to make use of the new knowledge, leading to an explosion in patented technologies. For instance, in 1980, Ananda Chakraborty received a patent on a bacterium that he ha ..read more

Global alignment with transformative initiatives is pivotal in the ever-evolving landscape of academia. One such initiative that garnered international attention is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Established in September 2015, this is a set of 17 SDGs as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With specific goals set on curbing poverty and inequality, improving health and education, combatting climate change, and promoting peace and justice, these SDGs aim to address global challenges and promote sustainable development. Among these, SDGs 4, 9, 10, and ..read more

In the dynamic landscape of academia, conferences serve as crucibles of innovation, knowledge dissemination, and professional networking. These gatherings not only propel the frontiers of research but also fortify the collaborative spirit essential for intellectual growth. However, despite their pivotal role, women academics encounter unique barriers hindering their full participation in these scholarly forums. The academic world has made strides in recognizing gender disparities, yet women continue to face challenges that impede their engagement with conferences. Issues ranging from caregivin ..read more