Springer Nature announced that it has founded a Latin American Research Advisory Council (LARAC) to better support and collaborate with researchers in the region. This joins the publisher’s existing research advisory councils in Africa (ARAC), Europe (ERAC), Japan (JRAF), Korea (KRAF), and the United States (USRAC). These councils have been established to improve the publisher’s approach to serving researchers with the goal of advancing the trust, integrity, equity, and efficiency of research and the research ecosystem. LARAC’s inaugural cohort of members represent ten countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and includes 11 women and nine men. The publisher will hold its first meeting on the 12th of November.

The Latin American Research Advisory Council builds upon Springer Nature’s sustainable development work in the region. Most recently, the publisher held its third annual Summit on Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, gathering 369 participants from 54 countries for two days of conferences on enhancing education, reducing inequalities, and the regional progression to a sustainable energy future.

LARAC aims to convene the diverse voices of the scientific community from the region to discuss challenges and prospects, provide opportunities for learning, and to facilitate cooperation and engagement.

João Pildervasser, Academic Affairs Manager for Nature Portfolio and Springer Nature, said: “We are excited about the creation of LARAC. This is a unique opportunity to forge collaborations with the Latin American and Caribbean research community, and to have a better understanding of their challenges and goals so we can work together to create the solutions for a more trusting and equitable future. Through this council we seek not only to amplify the diverse voices of Latin American and Caribbean researchers but also to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and resources between the different stakeholders and Springer Nature.”

Dr. Carolina Santacruz-Perez, Science Officer, Regional Focal Point for the Latin American and Caribbean Region – International Science Council, said: “As a member of the Latin American Research Advisory Council, I am thrilled to support a collaborative space dedicated to advancing the visibility and impact of scientific research across Latin America and the Caribbean. This council will enable us to address regional challenges by promoting accessible research, strengthening scientific networks, and fostering innovation through interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we aim to amplify the voices of LAC researchers, advocating for equitable representation and ensuring that the region’s scientific advancements are positioned to contribute globally.”

Dr. Ricardo Galvão, President, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), said: “I congratulate Springer Nature for the initiative to establish LARAC, the Latin American Research Advisory Council. In recent times, the world scientific community has been called to help society face overwhelming challenges, such as the calamitous effects of global warming, tropical deforestation, new pathogens and pandemics, racial, social, and regional imbalances, and artificial intelligence and its effect on the knowledge economy, etcetera. These pressing challenges transcend borders and require concerted responses and transnational scientific collaborations. Further, the traditional scheme of publishing scientific results is changing rapidly, with the new movement of Open Science strongly promoted in Europe. Therefore, the possibility of having a forum of Latin American specialists discussing these and other matters is quite appropriate.”

Dr. Guillermo Anlló, Senior Programme Specialist Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Programme, UNESCO, said: “Latin America and the Caribbean has excellent scientific capabilities and generates frontier knowledge, despite the low investment in R&D. The challenge is to increase this investment to generate greater capabilities and have more impact. This must be accompanied by a network of greater linkages that allow a denser network of capabilities to respond more and better to the challenges of sustainable development in the region. That is why initiatives such as LARAC allow us to explore, together with leaders from the different countries in the region, actions to strengthen Latin American and Caribbean science.”

Dr. Luisa Fernanda Echeverría-King, Director of Diplomacy and International Scientific Cooperation, Universidad Simón Bolívar, said: “The Springer Nature Latin American Research Advisory Council stands as a crucial platform to amplify the voices of Latin American scientists who, for too long, have been sidelined from global conversations shaping scientific progress. It is time to break the silence around the scientific contributions of Latin America; LARAC seeks to not only champion these voices but to integrate their insights into a truly inclusive global research dialogue. In Latin America, science thrives not only in labs but also in dialogue with communities; this knowledge exchange is essential for research that is both impactful and grounded in the region’s unique realities.  We need to showcase the treasures of Latin American science, built upon our extraordinary human talent and vast natural resources that define our region.”

The inaugural membership list includes:

• Dr. Alma Hernández Mondragon, President, Mexican Association for the Advancement of Science
• Dr. Carolina Santacruz-Perez, Science Officer, Regional Focal Point for the Latin American and Caribbean Region – International Science Council
• Dr. Christian Gonzalez-Billaut, Vice President of Research and Development, Universidad de Chile
• Dr. Denise Pires de Carvalho, President, Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation (CAPES)
• Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora, Executive Vice-President of Research, Tecnológico de Monterrey
• Dr. Guillermo Anlló, Senior Programme Specialist Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Programme, UNESCO
• Dr. Jaqueline Mesquita, President, Brazilian Mathematical Society
• Dr. José Saniger, Secretary of Research and Development of the Scientific Research Coordination, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Dr. Josefina Takahashi Sato, Director of the Board of Directors of the Peruvian National Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation (CONCYTEC)
• Dr. Luisa Fernanda Echeverría-King, Director of Diplomacy and International Scientific Cooperation, Universidad Simón Bolívar
• Dr. Marco Méndez-Torres, President, Chilean Biology Society
• Dr. Mariana Viglino, Full-time researcher, IPGP-CONICET
• Dr. Monica Stein Coronado, Vice Rector for Research, Collaboration, and Partnership, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala
• Dr. Paola Vega-Castillo, Vice-President Research and Outreach, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica
• Dr. Paulo Alberto Nussenzveig, Dean of Research and Innovation, Universidade de São Paulo
• Dr. Ricardo Galvão, President, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)
• Dr. Rodolfo Barrere, Coordinator, Ibero-American and Inter-American Network for Science and Technology Indicators (RICYT)
• Dr. Tiago Braga, Director, Brazilian Institute of Science and Technology Information (IBICT)
• Dr. Vanesa Gottifredi, President, Instituto Leloir

Karger Publishers extended the partnership with the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), providing access to the entire Karger Journal Collection for researchers from 260 Brazilian institutions.

Karger Publishers and Portal de Periódicos CAPES look back on a prosperous cooperation that has lasted over 15 years. In 2024, this partnership has reached a new level with a new agreement, benefiting more than 260 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with access to the entire Karger journal collection. It significantly enhances the resources available to researchers throughout Brazil.

An Engagement Hub for the Research Community
Under the new agreement, researchers linked to HEIs participating in the program will have unlimited access to the latest and most relevant scientific information in their specialty areas, with the ability to read, download, and print journal articles. The entire Karger Collection comprises more than 100 internationally renowned journals, covering 40 medical specialties and subspecialties. The content includes original, clinical, translational, and basic research, offering cutting-edge information for the scientific community. Moreover, Karger’s rigorous editorial and peer-review process involves Brazilian researchers as editors and reviewers, along with over 50 major international scientific societies affiliated with the titles.

To ensure the research community gets the most out of this partnership, users can visit Karger’s Engagement Hub at, created to bring together key information in a single environment. There, they will find important details, as well as training, call for papers, tutorials, and free content on scientific publishing.

“We at Karger Publishers are honored to celebrate over 15 years of successful collaboration with Portal de Periódicos CAPES. Throughout this longstanding partnership, we have always prioritized the best interests of the research community in Brazil together. As we take this relationship to a new level, we look forward to jointly redesigning the possibilities, listening to the community, and providing even greater value to Brazilian researchers,” comments Gabriella Karger, Chairwoman & Publisher at Karger Publishers.

“The collaboration between CAPES and Karger Publishers is fundamental for expanding research and scientific knowledge in the country. This partnership has directly contributed to the international insertion of Brazilian scientific production. The new contract, with access to Karger’s complete collection of journals, will enable important advances in science.” highlights Andréa Carvalho Vieira, General Coordinator of the Portal de Periódicos e Informação Científica da CAPES.

Rebecca Lawrence has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the British Library and will take up the role from 2 January 2025. She succeeds Sir Roly Keating, who has led the Library since 2012.

Rebecca has had a long and successful career in leadership roles across the public service and university sector. From 2019 to 2023 she was Chief Executive of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), where she led the organisation through the pandemic, implementing large scale innovation to improve performance and support digital transformation.

Prior to leading the CPS, she was a founder and first CEO of the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), serving as Director of Strategy and Resourcing from 2013 to 2016, and Chief Executive from 2016 to 2019. In these roles she became a recognised national leader of police technology and digital security innovation.

She forged her career in Whitehall as a senior civil servant at HM Treasury before moving to the Home Office and policing to lead on counter-terrorism strategy, resourcing and transformation.

In her non-executive roles she is chair of Governors at Middlesex University and a Commissioner at the National Preparedness Commission (NPC) where she will share her experience of how organisations and communities can stay resilient and learn from fellow Commissioners for the benefit of the British Library.

Dame Carol Black, Chair of the British Library Board, said: “I am delighted to welcome Rebecca Lawrence to the British Library. She brings skills and experience from more than 25 years at the forefront of reforming and delivering public services, with particular strengths in leadership and digital transformation. I am sure that, as Chief Executive, she will build on Sir Roly Keating’s legacy and enable the Library to complete its recovery from last year’s cyber-attack, and fulfil our mission of making our outstanding collections accessible to everyone.”

Rebecca Lawrence said: “I am honoured to take up the role of Chief Executive of the British Library, an institution I have loved and admired from childhood and throughout my adult life. I share the Library’s conviction that ‘knowledge matters’. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with the team, absorbing the expertise of Sir Roly in a period of handover, and getting to know the wider network of users, peers, partners and collaborators that help amplify its national and international reach and impact. The Library is one of the world’s great concentrations of trusted and verified knowledge, and through innovation and technology I believe we can transform access to this tremendous resource, as well as growing and developing it for future generations.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Over the past twelve years, we’ve seen the British Library encouraging a love of learning and increasing accessibility for people across the UK and internationally. I would like to thank Sir Roly for his dedication to the institution and for guiding the British Library through challenging times.

“I am thrilled to congratulate Rebecca Lawrence on her appointment as the new Chief Executive. I am confident that she will continue the excellent leadership we have seen at the British Library, taking forward the Knowledge Matters strategy and the ongoing work to rebuild and recover from the cyber-attack last year.”

The Library’s current Chief Executive, Sir Roly Keating, announced in April that he would be stepping down in early 2025. Following Rebecca’s appointment he is bringing forward his departure to the end of this year.

Sir Roly said: “Along with her deep experience of public service leadership, Rebecca brings an infectious passion for the Library and everything it stands for. After twelve fulfilling years here, I’m excited to be handing over to her for the next chapter in the story of this extraordinary institution.”

Digital Science publishes report on effect of research transformation on academics and universities

Digital Science, a technology company serving stakeholders across the research ecosystem, is today calling for greater awareness that a myriad of fast-developing technologies are having on academics and their institutions.

This follows the publication of a new report from Digital Science looking at how changing attitudes and behaviors towards research are affecting traditional research models and dynamics. Key themes to emerge from the findings relate to areas of open research, impact and evaluation, tech and AI, collaboration and research security.

The objective of the report – titled Research Transformation: Change in the era of AI, open and impact – was to learn more about how the research world is experiencing transformation, what’s influencing change and how roles within it are being impacted. Digital Science conducted a survey, reaching out to the research community through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. 

Findings from the report may make sobering reading for those involved in academia, as the lightning pace of technological change appears at odds with the traditionally slow-moving nature of the research ecosystem. In total there are five key takeaways:

1. Open research is transforming research, but barriers remain
2. Research metrics are evolving to emphasize holistic impact and inclusivity
3. AI’s transformative potential is huge, but bureaucracy and skill gaps threaten progress
4. Collaboration is booming, amid increasing concerns over funding and security
5. Security and risk management need a strategic and cultural overhaul

Digital Science’s new Executive Vice President of Academic, Jonathan Breeze, says: “The Research Transformation: Change in the era of AI, open and impact report gives a voice to the opinions of the academic community and their feelings about changes in the research ecosystem. Importantly, the report gives the whole sector a deeper understanding of the fast-changing needs of academia.

“The report explores how academic roles are evolving, the external drivers of change, and future predictions. It also looks at how Digital Science can support the sector’s changing needs through AI-powered tools and innovations, which is something we’re paying very close attention to across our organization.”

Commenting on the findings, Digital Science’s Mark Hahnel, VP Open Research, and Simon Porter, VP of Research Futures, say: “Our report speaks loudly of the technological advancements, new research practices and global problems driving change in academia. These transformations have created both opportunities and obstacles for institutions and the sector at large. 

“Reflecting on the findings, we believe academic institutions can position themselves to deliver meaningful research in the era of three key developments – AI, open research and research impact.”

The report’s findings are based on survey analysis, plus insights from in-depth interviews. The survey was an online questionnaire of open and closed questions that ran during 29 May-12 July 2024 with a total of 380 respondents from 70 countries. Typically, respondents held roles within the academic library, research office, faculty and leadership teams. Further in-depth interviews were held with 15 participants from the academic community over the summer of 2024. 

Following the publication of the report, there are also several other activities including a webinar hosted in partnership with Times Higher Education. This webinar will feature a panel discussion on the evolving role of research in academia and the transformative impact of AI and other emerging technologies in making research more open, inclusive, and collaborative.

For more details on Digital Science and its solutions for academic institutions, visit our website: digital-science.com/academic