Frontiers | Field notes

Field notes post list

9 field-notes posts in Test

Behind the scenes

16 Mar 2026

What do journal editors do? A guide for researchers

When you submit a manuscript to an academic journal, its scientific evaluation is controlled almost entirely by other researchers. Publisher workflows and industry standards govern peer review, but the people assessing your work are working scientists. They volunteer their expertise to evaluate, improve, and ultimately decide what gets published. Understanding who these people are and how they work can change the way you approach the submission and peer review process. It can help you interpret decisions, respond more effectively to feedback, and see where editorial work fits within the broader research ecosystem.

Behind the scenes

11 Feb 2026

Ten years of Frontiers in Education: What have we learned about teaching, learning, and leadership?

To mark the 10-year anniversary of Frontiers in Education, we spoke to members of the journal’s editorial board about what has changed in education and what must come next. Across different countries, disciplines, and research traditions, three shared themes emerged: the human foundations of learning, the need for stronger bridges between research and practice, and the growing importance of openness and collaboration. Here is what they told us.

From our journals

11 Feb 2026

From rankings to resilience: a case study in building a One Health department

When a department climbs into the top 40 globally in a major ranking, it is tempting to treat that moment as the achievement. But rankings are outcomes, not strategies. In 2023, the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Bari was ranked 36th worldwide in veterinary research. For Prof. Nicola Decaro, former Head of the Department, the milestone is less a destination than a data point, one indicator of deeper structural changes that have been underway for years.

New at Frontiers

06 Oct 2025

From FAIR to FAIR²: Why data principles matter and how publishing is evolving

If you’ve applied for funding in the last few years, you’ve probably heard of FAIR data. The principles - Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable - have become the global standard for research data management. They are endorsed by major funders, woven into policies like Horizon Europe’s Open Science mandates, and promoted by organisations from the OECD to UNESCO. But what do they actually mean for researchers and why should you care?