Dear ISME Members,

The International Society for Microbial Ecology is excited to announce that The ISME Journal and ISME Communications will be published by Oxford University Press beginning in 2024.

The ISME journals will join OUP’s portfolio of nearly 500 journals, two-thirds of which are in partnership with learned and professional societies. OUP has been publishing journals for more than a century and, as the world’s largest university press, has more than 500 years of publishing expertise.

"Every 5 years, ISME renegotiates its publishing contract for our journals. Although we've been with Springer Nature for a long time and have an excellent working relationship with Springer Nature staff, we decided it was time to transition to a not-for-profit academic publisher to be more in alignment with the values of the Society," said Phil Hugenholtz, ISME President."The move will also put ISME on a stronger financial footing, which will be reflected in increased services to our members in coming years" he added.

"This collaboration underscores our mutual commitment to advancing research and knowledge in the vital field of microbial ecology," said Nikul Patel, Executive Publisher at OUP. "These prestigious journals are known for their rigorous peer review process, innovative research, and commitment to the scientific community. OUP is honoured to contribute to the dissemination of ground breaking discoveries and insights, as we work together with ISME to support researchers and scientists in their quest to uncover the fascinating complexities of the microbial world."

Additionally, The ISME Journal will become a fully Open Access journal on January 1, 2024. We are excited about this opportunity to provide fully Open Access articles to advance knowledge in the field, and we believe this change supports the society’s goals of serving the wider-community and seeking to help and promote microbial ecology in all aspects. 

This means new articles will become fully Open Access, or available to all, immediately upon publication. The journal will no longer have a paywall.

Additionally, new submissions to The ISME Journal after September 1, 2023 are subject to a €3500 article processing charge. For ISME members, the charge will be reduced by 10%. OUP also waives this charge for authors from developing countries with a small number of discretionary waivers available for authors without funding.

As you are probably aware, ISME Communications is already an Open Access journal. By adopting this approach, we'll be able to ensure that your valuable research reaches a broader audience, fueling scientific discovery and collaboration. The author processing charge is a straightforward process, and it's only applicable upon acceptance for publication. We believe that making research openly available benefits the entire scientific community, and we're thrilled to be part of this journey with you.

Please direct any questions to ISME Office (office@isme-microbes.org). We look forward to working with our new partner, OUP, in the new year.

ISME Team