Springer Nature’s Fourth Journal Development Symposium – New Delhi, 30 Oct 2026
On 30 October 2026, Springer Nature convened its fourth annual Journal Development Symposium in New Delhi, bringing together journal editors, academic societies and publishing experts from across India. The symposium was framed around the theme “Beyond the paywall: Shaping a sustainable Open Access future” and examined how Indian journals can transition from subscription‑based models to open, equitable models while preserving financial sustainability and research quality.
Key Participants and Topics
Arend Küster, Country Manager – India for Springer Nature, opened the session by noting that Open Access is reshaping the global research ecosystem and that Springer Nature aims to collaborate closely with editors, societies and researchers to build sustainable models that broaden access and enhance visibility. Fiona McKenzie, Vice President – Maths, Physical and Applied Sciences Journals, and Neetu Kalra, Publishing Director – Springer Journals, India, presented on equitable access, evolving funding mechanisms and the balance between openness and sustainability. Jacco Flipsen, Vice President – Medicine and Life Sciences Journals, shared a case study of a journal that shifted focus from mere access to measurable impact. Sonal Shukla, Head of Indexing, Editorial Excellence, discussed discoverability, editorial excellence and the importance of citations for journal growth.
Announcements and Milestones
During the symposium, Springer Nature announced several new journal partnership agreements and celebrated journals that reached significant anniversary milestones, recognizing the contributions of partner societies and the internal journals team. These announcements underscored the publisher’s ongoing commitment to supporting journal development, strengthening the visibility and impact of Indian research, and contributing to a sustainable and inclusive scholarly publishing future.
ONOS Implications
Participants deliberated on the implications of India’s One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative for journals and publishers. The discussion highlighted that ONOS will change how researchers access scholarly content, presenting both opportunities for broader reach and challenges in maintaining revenue streams. The consensus was that collaboration among editors, societies and publishers is essential to leverage ONOS for increased visibility while ensuring high‑quality research remains financially viable.
Commitment Statement
Springer Nature reaffirmed its pledge to work with journal editors and academic society partners to support journal development, enhance discoverability, and promote an inclusive Open Access ecosystem for Indian scholarship.
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