Why Do We Need University Journals? Understanding Scholarly Communication Beyond Big Publishers

Abstract

Presentation for virtual meetings ‘Book a Scientist’ 2025 of the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft. What if important research never reaches those who need it? Science depends on sharing results – and journals are a key way this happens. In many countries, universities themselves publish journals to support this exchange. But their role, visibility, and recognition can be very different from place to place. Why do these journals matter – and why should we care?