2024 Volume 7 Issue 6 (Published 17 March 2025)

 

Dear colleagues,

The sixth issue of INEOS OPEN is now available on the Journal site, we have completed the annual program for 2024 and are getting into the rhythm of 2025. The first three issues are already in the works, they are prepared based on the materials of the Nesmeyanov Conference. As we hoped, our luminaries are helping us and bailing us out.

Completing the annual cycle, we can evaluate the performed work, make adjustments to the Journal development strategy and move on. The goals and objectives of INEOS OPEN are the same: creation of an independent information field; dissemination of objective scientific information, adhering to the directions of the Program of Fundamental Scientific Research related to the competence of the Institute; protection of the domestic information space not by prohibitive measures, but by creating an alternative to foreign analogs that are under pressure from global business structures and a certain political situation. We have seen this quite clearly over the past few years.

Of course, it is quite difficult to compete with the flagship and popular international journals with their financial capabilities for the right to publish first. But we also have certain advantages, we are not bound by financial obligations to anyone. This means that we are poor, but free. Of course, certain protectionism is necessary, especially in the beginning, but it may be of an organizational rather than an economic nature. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education has not yet developed any specific policy in the field of supporting independent domestic journals, which are forced to use the "scraps from the master's table" of popular global publishing houses. India, China, and Arab countries have chosen the path of transferring Western business models, including mechanisms for promoting ratings not having the powerful expertise, without which a journal cannot exist for a long time. Therefore, these journals, despite their financial solvency, cannot change the vector in information policy.

Actually, it is already clear that it is necessary to create public associations of journals focused on the competencies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presumably on the basis of specialized Departments to coordinate efforts to defend and develop their own information space. Unfortunately, any isolation very easily turns into parochialism and nepotism, which are perhaps even more terrible than the noxious influence of the foreign information field. That is, the introduction of protectionist measures can simply lead to a decrease in quality. Organizationally, it is possible to ensure priority publication in domestic journals, but are our journals ready to sharply improve the quality of expertise at least to the level of the best international analogs?

I think it is possible. When organizing INEOS OPEN CUP, we managed to develop a new principle for evaluating the reports submitted to the competition, in which all participants were in absolutely equal conditions, which almost immediately swept away all the parochial approaches of our funds. At one time, when we were organizing the first youth competitions, we discussed the possibility of other evaluation criteria and more competitive principles for supporting youth projects compared to the "adult" competition. It was suggested that only half of the projects supported at the first stage should receive support in the second year, but the grant amount would be doubled. The idea was nipped in the bud by one of the council members: can my graduate student get a grant larger than mine? And everyone understood: he can't.

The experience of assessing the conference special issues of INEOS OPEN also gives certain ideas regarding the organization of collective evaluation by the program committee, when each work is discussed collectively, and only after the decision is reached, it is formalized in writing. Here it is also very important that the members of the expert group do not consult among themselves, giving an assessment, but the discussion is conducted to justify it. Practice shows that this saves time, and the quality of the assessment increases, and the principle of equal conditions for everyone is observed.

There is still the issue of the research relevance; however, it can be solved most easily: if the work is done for budget money, it should be oriented towards the Program of Fundamental Scientific Research. If you want to publish abroad, then the work should be done with grants and contracts with foreign funds. This is logical, if you want us to publish, create conditions and we will try our best. It is easy and simple to organize. This is how we do it with patenting. The Civil Code states that if an invention is made on the territory of the Russian Federation, then the patent application must be first filed in the Russian Federation, and then anywhere. With articles everything is much simpler, if the research is done for budget money, then the publication must be in a Russian journal. The reviews can be published anywhere: Chemical Reviews, Russian Chemical Bulletin, Russian Chemical Reviews…

In theory, all these issues should be handled by the former Russian Foundation for Basic Research, and now Russian Center of Scientific Information. This is a very large and important job and it should be synchronized in all components. Let's hope that the created digital platform for Russian journals will be convenient to use both for the publishers and for the users. It's nice that no one is forced into it, but on the contrary, they invite and promise powerful technical support.

In general, as soon as we get into the rhythm, we will start improving and inventing better expertise and updating the rules for authors and finally resolve the remaining organizational issues.

Well, in conclusion, I would like to remind you that three candidates from our Institute are participating in the elections to the Russian Academy of Sciences. I will not list them, you know them all, the nomination was public and open. We will root for ours, success and good luck!

Sincerely yours, Editor-in-Chief Prof., Full Member of RAS Aziz M. Muzafarov

Download PDF (ENG) Download PDF (RU)