A year of partnerships and progress

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re taking a moment to recognize the remarkable progress we've achieved together this year. As our partner, your commitment to open access, research integrity, and equitable publishing has been the driving force behind every milestone we've reached.

Your impact in 2025

This year has been marked by meaningful conversations and collaborative solutions that have expanded access to knowledge across the globe. From flat fee agreements that provide your researchers with greater predictability and flexibility, to national partnerships that strengthen entire research ecosystems, your leadership has made open science more attainable for institutions of all sizes.

New partnerships flourished: The University of Miami, University of Padua, Manchester Metropolitan University, and University of Insubria each found innovative ways to support their research communities through tailored publishing agreements that reflect their unique needs and priorities.

National agreements expanded: Our continuing and expanded collaborations with ZB MED in Germany, Bibsam in Sweden and Sikt in Norway demonstrate how strategic, country-wide partnerships can create sustainable pathways for open access publishing at scale.

Your voices shaped important conversations: Whether at UKSG, ALA, LIBER, or Convegno delle Stelline, Charleston, library leaders engaged in critical dialogues about AI in research, research integrity, and the evolving role of libraries in supporting open science. These exchanges have reinforced our understanding that technology and transparency must serve your mission.

Building on your vision

The insights you've shared throughout 2025 continue to shape how we approach partnership. We've heard clearly your needs:

• greater flexibility in how agreements are structured to match your institutional realities.

• more control over budgets and workflows as research publishing evolves.

• reliable technology that supports your teams rather than creating additional burden.

• transparency in processes, particularly around research integrity and quality assurance.

Additionally, we've developed a new insights portal that enables partners to assess the best partnership terms based on performance and make informed forecasts. As we look toward 2026, we remain committed to working alongside you to refine existing agreements and explore new models that give you even more autonomy and predictability. Your needs drive our development, and your feedback shapes our priorities.

Looking ahead

To every librarian, director, administrator, and decision-maker who has partnered with us this year: thank you. Your willingness to innovate, your advocacy for open access, and your dedication to supporting researchers have been an inspiration.

As you take well-deserved time with friends and family this holiday season, we hope you feel proud of the progress we've made together in advancing equitable access to research.

We look forward to continuing this partnership in 2026 and building publishing solutions that truly serve your communities.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season and a successful year ahead.

Warm regards,

Frontiers Institutional Partnerships team

Catch up on other news from Frontiers

Frontiers Science House launches at Davos to accelerate global science initiatives

FAIR² Data Management: An intelligent way to organize, share, and publish data

Getting to know AIRA: our digital teammate and detective

Frontiers and World Economic Forum unveil top technologies to accelerate global climate and planetary health solutions

Make openness Europe’s scientific strength: Frontiers urges action at European Parliament

Could your institution partner with Frontiers?

Hundreds of institutions around the world are already partnering with Frontiers through these models. Institutional representatives can reach out to us at institutions@frontiersin.org or this form for more information.