Announcements

This Academic Publishing Workshop will be led by MDPI Regional Journal Relations Specialist, Dr. Sally Wu, on “Author Training”. Participants will receive practical advice on essential aspects of writing academic articles. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the academic publishing landscape and how to successfully contribute to it.

Date: 25 February 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. EST

Schedule:

Speakers:

MDPI has surpassed the milestone of 1,000 partners within the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). The agreements span 59 countries, covering North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

Last year alone, more than 150 new libraries and academic institutions joined MDPI’s IOAP. With the expansion of an existing consortium deal in Sweden we welcomed a further 75 partners to the program in January 2026, enabling us to surpass the 1,000-partners milestone.

The IOAP supports affiliated researchers by streamlining submission processes, reducing administrative burdens, and offering discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs). Through IOAP membership, more than 61,300 research articles received APC discounts in 2025, driving greater visibility and accessibility for partner institutions and global research communities alike.

"This milestone marks a significant step towards expanding MDPI’s global impact," said Stefan Tochev, MDPI's CEO. "Reaching 1,000 IOAP partnerships is a true testament to the growing trust and collaboration we’ve built with universities, libraries, and research organizations worldwide. We are proud to lead the way in Open Access publishing, ensuring researchers have the support they need to reach global audiences." "The success of our program is reflected in the growing global demand for Open Science and quality publishing services," said Becky Castellon, MDPI institutional partnerships manager. "Equally, institutions are increasingly seeking Open Access publishing options that support funder and national mandates. Joining the IOAP makes compliance simple."

World Day of Social Justice, observed annually on 20 February, highlights the global commitment to building fairer and more inclusive societies. Established by the United Nations General Assembly, the day draws attention to persistent challenges such as inequality, social exclusion, unemployment, and poverty, and calls for collective action to address the structural barriers that limit opportunity and participation.

Despite ongoing progress, many individuals and communities continue to face systemic discrimination and unequal access to education, healthcare, and decent work. These interconnected challenges reinforce cycles of disadvantage, underscoring the need for sustained research, dialogue, and evidence-based solutions to advance social justice worldwide.

In support of World Day of Social Justice 2026 and Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), MDPI journals aim to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and research on equity, inclusion, and social development. Through Special Issues and research articles, MDPI provides platforms to explore social justice from diverse perspectives, including sociology, public policy, education, and human rights.

“Digital Intermediation and Precarity: Experiences of Domestic Workers in Chile’s Platform Labor Economy”
by Rosa Villarroel-Valdés, Carla Valdés-Sarmiento and Nelson Lay-Raby
Platforms 2025, 3(4), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/platforms3040019

“Exploring the Intersection of Youth Development, Physical Education, Teacher Education, and Social Justice”
by Cory Elijah Dixon
Youth 2025, 5(2), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5020059

“The Vulnerability and Injustices Faced by Young Carers in Developed Societies”
by Gottfried Schweiger
Societies 2025, 15(4), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15040101

“Inter-American Human Rights System and Social Change in Latin America”
by Martha Gutiérrez
Laws 2025, 14(2), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws14020014

“Cross-Disciplinary Rapid Scoping Review of Structural Racial and Caste Discrimination Associated with Population Health Disparities in the 21st Century“
by Drona P. Rasali, Brendan M. Woodruff, Fatima A. Alzyoud, Daniel Kiel, Katharine T. Schaffzin, William D. Osei, Chandra L. Ford and Shanthi Johnson
Societies 2024, 14(9), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14090186

“One Justice for All? Social Dilemmas, Environmental Risks and Different Notions of Distributive Justice”
by Ulf Liebe, Heidi Bruderer Enzler, Andreas Diekmann and Peter Preisendörfer
Games 2024, 15(4), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/g15040025

“The Evolving Landscape of Spanish Language Representation in U.S. Media: From Overt to Covert Discrimination”
by Grace A. Parker, Maia Botek and Diego Pascual y Cabo
Languages 2024, 9(6), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9060220

“Applied Theatre: Research-Based Theatre, or Theatre-Based Research? Exploring the Possibilities of Finding Social, Spatial, and Cognitive Justice in Informal Housing Settlements in India, or Tales from the Banyan Tree”
by Selina Busby
Arts 2024, 13(2), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts13020063

“Educating Youth to Civic Engagement for Social Justice: Evaluation of a Secondary School Project”
by Mara Martini, Chiara Rollero, Marco Rizzo, Sabrina Di Carlo, Norma De Piccoli and Angela Fedi
Behav. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13080650

“Social Justice in Theological Education: Challenges and Opportunities” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Ana Thea Filipović Submission deadline: 31 May 2026	“Chinese Languages and Their Neighbours in Southeast Asia” Guest Editors: Dr. Pui Yiu Szeto and Prof. Dr. Umberto Ansaldo Submission deadline: 31 August 2026
“Innovations in Affordable Housing Design” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Noelia Cervero Sánchez and Prof. Dr. Jaime J. Ferrer Forés Submission deadline: 30 September 2026	“Photography, Civil Society and the Crisis of Democracy” Guest Editor: Dr. Terri Weissman Submission deadline: 15 November 2026

“Shakespeare After Democracy―Shakespeare in the Age of New Authoritarianism” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Marcela Kostihova Submission deadline: 30 November 2026	“Migration and Transnational Religions: Identities and Networks” Topic Editors: Prof. Dr. Nanlai Cao, Dr. Francis Khek Gee Lim and Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Giordan Submission deadline: 31 January 2027

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed annually on 11 February, celebrates the achievements of women and girls in STEM while advocating for equal opportunities in science and innovation. The 2026 theme, “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance: Building Inclusive Futures for Women and Girls”, highlights the importance of integrating these four pillars to address widening inequalities. By combining AI’s transformative potential with social science insights, technical expertise in STEM, and inclusive financial mechanisms, societies can ensure that innovation benefits women and girls and supports sustainable development.

In recognition of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, MDPI reaffirms its commitment to advancing inclusive and interdisciplinary research. Through open access publishing, we promote gender-responsive AI, women-led innovation, and equitable STEM participation—ensuring knowledge is accessible, and empowering women and girls to shape a more inclusive future in science and beyond.

“Financial Discrimination: Consumer Perceptions and Reactions”
by Miranda Reiter, Di Qing, Kenneth White and Morgen Nations
Int. J. Financial Stud. 2025, 13(3), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs13030136

“Women in STEM in the Eastern Partnership: EU-Driven Initiatives and Challenges of External Europeanisation”
by Gabriela-Roxana Irod, Cristian Pîrvulescu and Marian Miculescu
Societies 2025, 15(7), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15070204

“The Role of Digital Financial Services in Narrowing the Gender Gap in Low–Middle-Income Economies: A Bayesian Machine Learning Approach”
by Alicia Fernanda Galindo-Manrique and Nuria Patricia Rojas-Vargas
Risks 2025, 13(5), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/risks13050096

“Drivers for Women Entrepreneurship in Greece: A Case Analysis of Early-Stage Companies”
by Marcus Goncalves, Suela Papagelis and Daphne Nicolitsas
Businesses 2025, 5(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/businesses5010001

“Empowering Women in Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Qualitative Approach”
by Teresa Felgueira, Teresa Paiva, Catarina Alves and Natália Gomes
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14101127

“Advancing Women’s Leadership in United Arab Emirates Higher Education: Perspectives from Emirati Women”
by Shaikha Ali Al-Naqbi and Semiyu Adejare Aderibigbe
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14091002

“Empowering Female High School Students for STEM Futures: Career Exploration and Leadership Development at Scientella”
by Simon J. Ford, Raquel dos Santos and Ricardo dos Santos
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 955; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090955

“The Influence of Women on Boards on the Relationship between Executive and Employee Remuneration”
by María L. Gallén and Carlos Peraita
Int. J. Financial Stud. 2024, 12(3), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs12030084

“Mentoring and Networking as the “Silver Lining” of Being Women Leaders: An Exploratory Study in Top World Forestry Schools”
by Pipiet Larasatie, Taylor Barnett and Eric Hansen
Trends High. Educ. 2024, 3(1), 169-179; https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu3010010

““I’m an Academic, Now What?”: Exploring Later-Career Women’s Academic Identities in Australian Higher Education Using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis”
by Matthew James Phillips and Peta Louise Dzidic
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(8), 442; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12080442

“Gender Equity in K-12 Education, Academia and Higher Education: A Global Perspective” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. James Etim Deadline for submissions: 31 August 2026	“Teacher Education and Education for Sustainability” Guest Editors: Dr. María Teresa Fuertes Camacho, Dr. Sílvia Albareda-Tiana and Dr. María del Carmen Solís-Espallargas Deadline for submissions: 31 August 2026

The editorial office of Behavioral Sciences would like to extend its sincere gratitude to all reviewers who contributed to the improvement of the journal quality by providing their expert opinion and evaluation of the submitted research.

We appreciate that thorough peer review demands considerable time and intellectual investment from our reviewers. In 2025, Behavioral Sciences received 8779 review reports from contributors across 79 countries and territories, demonstrating the breadth of international expertise and scholarly engagement that has strengthened our publication standards.

The reviewers who agreed to have their names published this year are listed below in alphabetical order by first name. The editorial team acknowledges with gratitude all reviewers, named and anonymous alike, for their vital role in maintaining the scholarly standards of Behavioral Sciences.

Conference: 2026 AERA Annual Meeting
Organization: American Educational Research Association
Date: 8–12 April 2026
Place: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Booth: 129

Each year, the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting is the world's largest gathering of education researchers and a showcase for groundbreaking, innovative studies across an array of areas. The 2026 AERA Annual Meeting, with the theme “Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures: Constructing a New Vision for Education Research”, will take place in Los Angeles, CA, from 8 to 12 April 2026.

With more than 2500 sessions to choose from, the meeting provides a dynamic experience, with opportunities to learn from prominent scholars, discover the latest research, engage in stimulating conversations, and foster professional relationships.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Education Sciences;
• Disabilities;
• Encyclopedia;
• Psychology International;
• Social Sciences;
• Societies;
• Trends in Higher Education;
• Youth;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• Challenges;
• EJIHPE;
• IME.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to visit our booth (#129). Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.aera.net/AERA2026.

24 January marks the International Day of Education, a global observance highlighting the vital role of education in empowering young people and building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies. Closely aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, this year’s theme underscores the importance of engaging youth as active partners in reimagining how learning works. With young people comprising more than half of the global population, strengthening teaching and learning, supporting diverse learner needs, and embracing innovation are essential to equipping future generations with the skills and opportunities to shape the futures they aspire to.

Reflecting this mission, established MDPI journals in Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities serve as platforms for scholarly exchange and collaboration, advancing research on youth-centered learning, inclusive education, learner outcomes, emotional resilience, and the role of emerging technologies in modern education. Through these efforts, MDPI supports meaningful dialogue and research addressing both current and emerging challenges in education.

Invited speakers:

Register for this webinar for free here!

We are pleased to share insights from our speakers as they reflect on education. They were invited to provide a short reflection on their presentation topic or respond to the question: “What is the biggest challenge or opportunity in education today?”

“Educational Constructivism”
by Keith S. Taber
Encyclopedia 2024, 4(4), 1534-1552; https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia4040100

“Student-Centered Active Learning Improves Performance in Solving Higher-Level Cognitive Questions in Health Sciences Education”
by Nieves Martín-Alguacil and Luis Avedillo
Int. Med. Educ. 2024, 3(3), 346-362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ime3030026

“Innovative FOCUS: A Program to Foster Creativity and Innovation in the Context of Education for Sustainability”
by Kurt Haim and Wolfgang Aschauer
Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2257; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062257

“Using ChatGPT in Education: Human Reflection on ChatGPT’s Self-Reflection”
by Eugène Loos, Johanna Gröpler and Marie-Louise Sophie Goudeau
Societies 2023, 13(8), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13080196

Call for Papers:

“Inclusive Education, Intellectual Disabilities and the Demise of Full Inclusion”
by Garry Hornby and James M. Kauffman
J. Intell. 2024, 12(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12020020

“A Critical Systematic Literature Review of Global Inclusive Education Using an Affective, Intersectional, Discursive, Emotive and Material Lens”
by David Isaac Hernández-Saca, Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides and Susan Larson Etscheidt
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121212

“Enhancing Comprehensive Sexuality Education for Students with Disabilities: Insights from Ontario’s Educational Framework”
by Adam Davies, Justin Brass, Victoria Martins Mendonca, Samantha O’Leary, Malissa Bryan and Ruth Neustifter
Sexes 2023, 4(4), 522-535; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes4040034

“Systematic Review on New Challenges of University Education Today: Innovation in the Educational Response and Teaching Perspective on Students with Disabilities”
by María Dolores Pérez-Esteban, Jose Juan Carrión-Martínez and Luis Ortiz Jiménez
Soc. Sci. 2023, 12(4), 245; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040245

Call for Papers:

“Mapping the Trajectory of Planetary Health Education—A Critical and Constructive Perspective from the Global South”
by Isaías Lescher Soto, Bernabé Vidal, Lorenzo Verger and Gustavo J. Nagy
Challenges 2025, 16(4), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/challe16040050

“Emotional Exhaustion Scale (ECE): Psychometric Properties in a Sample of Portuguese University Students”
by Sílvia Ala, Francisco Ramos Campos and Inês Carvalho Relva
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14(4), 1044-1054; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14040068

“The Collective Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty, Cognitive Test Anxiety, and Academic Self-Handicapping on Learner Outcomes: Evidence for a Process Model”
by Jerrell C. Cassady, Addison Helsper and Quinton Quagliano
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14020096

Call for Papers:

MDPI will be attending the 2026 Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention held in Barcelona, from 28 to 30 May 2026. The conference is being organized by the Association for Psychological Science, which is a scientific home to thousands of leading psychological science researchers, practitioners, teachers, and students from around the world dedicated to advancing scientific psychology across disciplinary and geographic borders.

This year’s program features six Integrative Science Symposia (ISS), each exploring complex scientific questions through research from multiple domains. Recognizing the transformative influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on our science and society, AI topics will be found throughout the program. Additionally, you can expect to find cutting-edge explorations of mental health, brain development, individual and collective cognition, language, culture, polarization, and threats to democracy. 

The 2026 Annual Convention will also include an Industry Day—programming that explores psychological science in non-academic settings. This is an outstanding opportunity to see how psychological science is being applied in real-world settings as well as the kind of work that psychological scientists do in non-academic environments. 

In addition to these new offerings, the APS Annual Convention is the international psychological science conference that features cutting-edge and integrative science symposia, posters, submitted talks, and flash talks from all areas of the field. 

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Behavioral Sciences;
• Adolescents;
• Disabilities;
• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH);
• Journal of Intelligence;
• Psychology International;
• Sexes;
• Youth;
• Challenges;
• European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (EJIHPE);
• Education Sciences;
• Languages;
• Trends in Public Health.

To commemorate the International Day of Education 2026, MDPI is honoured to host a special webinar dedicated to advancing the future of education in an ever-changing world. This global observance reminds us of the essential role that education plays in promoting peace, sustainable development, and empowering individuals to thrive in an increasingly digital and interconnected society.

As education continues to evolve, new approaches, tools, and perspectives are reshaping how we teach, learn, and engage. Through this webinar, we aim to contribute to the global dialogue by bringing together researchers, educators, and practitioners to explore innovative ideas, emerging trends, and transformative research shaping the education landscape.

Join us as we celebrate the International Day of Education 2026, a moment to reflect, exchange ideas, and envision a future where education empowers every learner and strengthens communities worldwide.

Session 1:
Keywords: education; learning; teaching; access; educational equity; EdTech; critical thinking
Date: 23 January 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m. CET | 9:00 p.m. AEST | 6:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 893 6942 9630
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/IDEW2026

Register now for free!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available for viewing.

Webinar Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Sherif E. Abdelhamid, Computer and Information Sciences Department, Virginia Military Institute, USA;
• Prof. Dr. Albert Ziegler, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Department of Psychology, Germany;
• Prof. Alison Kington, University of Worcester, United Kingdom;
• Dr. Ben Looker, University of Worcester, United Kingdom;
• Dr. Amy Been Bennett, Center for Science, Mathematics, and Computer Education and the Department of Mathematics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA;
• Dr. Amira Elnokaly, School of Design and Architecture, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.