Clarivate has officially launched Web of Science Research Intelligence, a new AI-native platform designed to help universities and research institutions make smarter decisions about funding, collaboration, strategy, and societal impact. Built with input from more than 50 research partners across 20 countries, the platform combines trusted Web of Science data with responsible academic AI to create a unified environment for research analytics and institutional planning. 
   The new platform aims to move research management beyond retrospective reporting toward forward-looking, AI-driven insights. Institutions can use it to discover funding opportunities, identify emerging research areas, analyze collaborations, and better demonstrate the real-world impact of their work. Clarivate emphasizes transparency and traceability, positioning the tool as an alternative to general-purpose AI systems that may rely on unverified information. The launch reflects a broader transformation in academic research, where institutions increasingly need trusted AI tools to navigate growing volumes of scientific data and rising pressure to prove research value.

   Source - Research Information

 05/07/2026

   The World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2025: Strengthening AI Foundations explores how artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping economies, education, healthcare, and labor markets across the world. The report argues that AI could become a major driver of productivity and economic transformation, especially for developing countries, but warns that the benefits will remain uneven unless nations build stronger digital foundations. A central theme is the rise of “Small AI” — lighter, cheaper, and more accessible AI tools that can run on ordinary smartphones and low-cost devices. These systems are already being used in agriculture, health, and education to solve practical local problems in low- and middle-income countries. 
   The publication introduces the concept of the “four Cs” required for AI readiness: connectivity, compute, context, and competency. Connectivity refers to reliable internet and energy infrastructure; compute covers access to chips, cloud services, and data centers; context involves local data, languages, and applications; and competency focuses on digital and AI-related skills. According to the report, many developing countries still face serious gaps in these areas, which risks widening the global digital divide. At the same time, the World Bank highlights encouraging signs: middle-income countries are increasingly adopting AI technologies, AI-related jobs are growing quickly, and governments are beginning to invest more actively in digital ecosystems and governance frameworks. 
   The report ultimately presents AI not only as a technological issue, but as a development challenge tied to infrastructure, education, and inclusion. The World Bank emphasizes that countries should focus not just on creating powerful AI models, but on building the institutional and social foundations that allow AI to benefit broader populations. Responsible regulation, investment in skills, support for local innovation, and equitable access to digital tools are presented as essential steps to ensure that AI contributes to sustainable and inclusive growth rather than deepening existing inequalities.

   Download the report

   Source - World Bank

 05/06/2026

   The International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM) has published “Toward Responsible Use of Research Content in Generative AI,” a discussion document putting forward considerations for the responsible use of research content in generative AI tools, and inviting the broader research and GenAI development community to engage. 
   The document focuses on what makes research content and research communication distinct from other types of content and communication: it is quality-assured through peer review and anchored to a Version of Record, with scholarly publishers playing a central role in upholding integrity standards. 
   When GenAI tools handle research content, these properties of scholarly communication become relevant — including the occurrence of corrections and retractions, accurate attribution, proper citation, and clear signals of verifiability. STM is actively seeking input from GenAI developers, researchers, institutions, funders, and publishers. 
   Visit the web-page to read the document.

   Source - STM

 05/05/2026

   Elsevier has expanded its “Check Integrity” tool across nearly 2,000 journals, marking a significant step toward improving research quality and trust in academic publishing. The system automatically screens submitted manuscripts before publication, identifying potential ethical issues such as authorship changes or conflicts of interest. By flagging concerns early, the tool allows expert analysts to review cases and ensure compliance with publishing standards. 
   The initiative builds on a successful pilot phase, where many flagged issues led to corrective actions—helping prevent errors or misconduct from reaching the published record. The tool combines automated checks with human oversight: it highlights risks, while specialists evaluate them and decide on next steps. This approach not only strengthens research integrity but also improves efficiency by letting journal editors focus more on evaluating high-quality, credible work. 
   More broadly, the expansion reflects growing pressure on the academic publishing system, where submission volumes continue to rise and risks evolve. By investing in adaptive screening technologies and expert review processes, Elsevier aims to safeguard trust in scientific output while making publication workflows faster and more reliable for both authors and readers. 

   Source - Elsevier

 05/01/2026

   A recent Nature article uncovers the hidden marketplace of academic fraud, where authorship on scientific papers is openly sold. By analyzing thousands of online advertisements from so-called “paper mills,” researchers reveal a global system in which individuals can buy co-authorship or even full authorship on research papers, often without contributing any real work. 
   The data expose pricing structures, negotiation tactics, and the scale of this shadow economy. Costs vary depending on factors such as journal prestige, authorship position, and field of study. These findings provide rare insight into how fraudulent research outputs are produced and marketed, highlighting the industrialized nature of scientific misconduct.
    Importantly, the study offers tools for combating the problem. By mapping patterns in these advertisements, journals and institutions may better detect suspicious submissions and disrupt paper mills. The article underscores a growing challenge for global science: maintaining research integrity in the face of increasingly sophisticated and commercialized fraud. 

   Source - Nature

 
04/29/2026

   Open science starts with open data — but only if it’s licensed right. A new report from Creative Commons outlines practical guidance on how researchers can share scientific data more effectively. The core message: open licensing is essential for accelerating discovery, enabling global collaboration, and allowing others to reuse and build upon existing datasets without legal confusion. 
   The report highlights common barriers that limit data reuse — including unclear licensing, inconsistent metadata, and missing attribution standards. To address this, it standardized approaches: using clear legal tools (such as open licenses) and including key metadata elements that make datasets both human- and machine-readable. These steps reduce uncertainty, improve interoperability, and make research more accessible worldwide. 
   Ultimately, the guidance calls for a cultural shift toward more consistent and transparent data-sharing practices across all scientific disciplines. By adopting these best practices, researchers and institutions can strengthen trust, enhance reproducibility, and unlock the full potential of open science on a global scale.
   Full text of the report.

Source - CreativeCommons

 
04/22/2026

   A major controversy has shaken academic publishing after 45 of 48 editorial board members of the Journal of Approximation Theory resigned in protest against decisions made by publisher Elsevier. The editors described the changes as “concerning and potentially detrimental,” arguing that the journal they had helped build had effectively lost its identity under increased publisher control. 
   At the center of the dispute were concerns about editorial independence and governance. According to reports, the publisher introduced changes without sufficient consultation, prompting frustration among editors who saw this as undermining long-standing academic norms. The mass resignation reflects broader tensions in scholarly publishing, where commercial priorities can clash with the autonomy traditionally granted to academic editors and peer-review communities. 
   The situation escalated further when the former editor-in-chief criticized Elsevier’s approach, reportedly describing the publisher as acting like a “mini-dictator.” This strong language highlights the depth of dissatisfaction and signals a growing unease among scholars about centralized decision-making in major publishing houses. The case adds to a rising number of similar editorial walkouts across journals in recent years, suggesting a systemic issue rather than an isolated conflict. 
   Overall, the घटना underscores a critical debate about the future of academic publishing: who ultimately controls scholarly communication—the academic community or commercial publishers? As resignations become more frequent, they raise important questions about governance, transparency, and the sustainability of current publishing models in the global research ecosystem.

Source - RetractionWatch

 
04/21/2026

   Scopus updates its list of sources regularly to include top, reviewed journals from many subjects. This April, Scopus added 70 new research journals.
   Scopus is owned by Elsevier B.V., and Elsevier is solely responsible for the content selection policy of Scopus. To decide to accept or reject a title for Scopus, Elsevier follows the independent advice from the Scopus Content Selection & Advisory Board (CSAB). However, Elsevier, in consultation with the CSAB, reserves the right to change decisions, adjust the selection criteria, or re-evaluate titles accepted for Scopus without prior notice.

List of newly added journals can be found here

Source - PhDTalks

 
04/20/2026

   A new industry initiative from Frontiers aims to reshape how artificial intelligence is used across scholarly publishing, introducing comprehensive guidance that spans the entire research lifecycle—from authorship to peer review.  The framework moves beyond simple “allowed vs. not allowed” rules and instead promotes practical, responsible adoption of AI tools across all roles, including researchers, editors, and reviewers. 
   The guidance responds to the rapid and widespread uptake of AI in research workflows, with evidence suggesting that a majority of peer reviewers already rely on such tools. Rather than restricting usage, the new approach emphasizes structured governance and transparency, arguing that policy must evolve alongside real-world practices. Frontiers positions the initiative as part of its broader commitment to research integrity and its long-standing investment in AI-driven publishing systems. 
   At the core of the framework is the “BE WISE” model, which outlines six principles: transparency, accountability, appropriate tool use, user awareness, integrity safeguards, and equity. The guidance also introduces “permission-to-proceed” checkpoints at key stages of the publishing process, requiring users to assess factors such as oversight, governance, permitted inputs, and verification before applying AI. If these conditions are not met, AI use should be limited or avoided altogether. 
   In addition to principles, the framework provides practical resources—including templates, prompts, audit logs, and workflow examples—to support day-to-day implementation. Designed as a “living framework,” the guidance will evolve through community feedback, with Frontiers inviting stakeholders across the research ecosystem to help shape future policy. The initiative reflects a broader shift in scholarly publishing toward enabling AI innovation while maintaining trust, transparency, and quality in the scientific record.

Source - Research Information

04/15/2026

   7th International Conference on Education and Linguistics and Exhibitions (ICEL) aims to showcase innovative teaching methods, research findings, and practical applications that prepare learners for a changing world while promoting sustainability and inclusion. Topics ranging from AI in language education to new approaches in curriculum design, all with the goal of shaping a more resilient and forward-looking future through the power of language and education, will be discussed over the two-day conference.

   The Conference will be organised in a hybrid mode bringing in-person and virtual participants together.

Important dates:

March 16, 2026 - Call anoouncement.

April 8, 2026 - Abstract submission deadline

April 20, 2026 - Notification of acceptance

April 30, 2026 - Registration deadline

May 12-13,2026 - Event

June 30, 2026 - Full paper submission

Full information and registration for thje event can be found here.

03/30/2026