To address this issue, STM has released a report “Recommendations for a Classification of AI Use in Academic Manuscript Preparation” in September 2025. 

Today, we’re announcing an exciting follow-up activity that addresses this issue from a broader perspective through collaboration with key partners in the academic enterprise.

To support a shared understanding of how AI should be disclosed in research, STM is part of a joint harmonisation initiative to work towards a Global Reporting Standard for AI Disclosure in Research, together with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Science Council (ISC), and the Global Young Academy (GYA) as key partners. This initiative will form the focus track of the World Conference on Research Integrity (3–6 May 2026, Vancouver). 

To ensure that the development of this reporting guideline reflects a broad range of perspectives, STM and the other key partners invite their members to contribute through three consultation rounds — the first round is open now through 28 February 2026: Mapping the needs for AI disclosure, yielding a preferred format.  

To that end, we invite STM members and community to participate in the first consultation round, as it is vital that the format of this standard matches current experiences and expectations of the publishing industry. On behalf of the organising partners, we invite you — as an STM Member Organisation — to participate by taking two actions: 1/ review some preparatory reading and discuss it with colleagues (in the editorial office or beyond) and then 2/ submit a summary of your collective reflections via the form below. 

Access the preparatory questions and reading 

Submit your input here by 28 Feb, 2026

All questions and remarks you may have, can be directed to Bert Seghers via email and/or Hylke Koers via email.  

We appreciate your commitment to this important effort to build a shared, global understanding of AI disclosure in research.

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This draft is the result of a collaborative effort by STM members to support accessible publishing, with a focus on helping authors and publishers write better image descriptions (alt text). Not only does it help prepare for the upcoming ADA Title II update (coming into effect April 2026), it also supports our shared goal of making scholarly content more inclusive and available to all. 

Why a taxonomy? Because alt text isn’t one-size-fits-all. Describing a chart requires different guidance than a medical scan, photograph, or diagram. The taxonomy provides 15 top-level categories — each with definitions, guidance, examples, and subcategories — to help identify image types and write effective descriptions. 

The TFG, formed in early 2025 through STM’s Standards & Technology Committee, includes accessibility experts and publishing professionals from across the US, UK, and Europe. The group has met monthly to build consensus and develop practical tools for our community. 

Download the draft taxonomy here

Explore the interactive tool that complements the taxonomy

The post Making scholarly images more accessible: STM’s draft taxonomy now open for feedback appeared first on STM Association.

The STM-commissioned report was researched and compiled by research firm Research Consulting, which conducted in-depth interviews with 18 research integrity and publishing experts across 13 organizations. It documents significant capacity building in recent years. Some publishers now maintain dedicated research integrity teams that number more than 100 staff members and screen millions of manuscript submissions annually. They do so using innovative and evolving detection systems that enlist technology, but keep humans at the center of the work. 

This investment has grown in response to two converging pressures. Global R&D spending has nearly tripled since 2000 to roughly $2.5 trillion annually, driving a surge in research output. At the same time, integrity threats have grown more sophisticated, with industrial-scale paper mill operations selling fabricated manuscripts and AI systems capable of generating plausible but false research. 

“When research findings inform clinical decisions, shape policy, or guide technology development, trust is everything. This report shows the scale of what our industry is doing to earn and maintain that trust, infrastructure and expertise that most people outside publishing have never seen, deployed across millions of manuscripts every year,” said Caroline Sutton, CEO, STM Association.  

The report identifies three pillars of publisher practice: capacity (dedicated teams and screening technology), practice (standards, screening protocols, and training), and coordination (shared detection tools and infrastructure). Major collaborative initiatives documented in the report include the STM Integrity Hub, which now includes 49 organizational members, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) with 106 publisher members representing over 14,500 journals, and United2Act, a coalition of 58 organizations coordinating responses to paper mills. 

The report emphasizes that protecting research integrity requires action beyond publishers, across the entire research ecosystem, including institutions, funders, policymakers, and researchers themselves. 

“This report captures something we have never documented collectively before: how publishers across the community, large commercial operations to society publishers and community-based initiatives, are building shared capabilities. But it also makes clear that publishers cannot address these challenges alone. Lasting solutions require collaboration with institutions, funders, and researchers, and reforms to evaluation systems that create pressure to publish at any cost,” said Chris Graf, Research Integrity Director, Springer Nature, and Chair, STM Research Integrity Committee. 

Download the report here

Related: Read “Unseen efforts to catch paper mill outputs bear fruit” at Times Higher Education

The post New report documents publisher investment in research integrity infrastructure appeared first on STM Association.

The case centres on Westlaw’s “headnotes” — concise editorial summaries created by legal experts to help users navigate case law. ROSS Intelligence, a now-defunct startup, used thousands of these headnotes to train a competing AI-driven legal research tool, without permission. A lower court ruled that the headnotes are protected by copyright and that ROSS’s copying did not qualify as fair use. ROSS is appealing the decision. 

The Copyright Alliance brief, which incorporates input from STM, argues that Westlaw’s headnotes meet the originality threshold for copyright (not unlike scholarly abstracts, summaries or editorial metadata crafted by STM publishers). It also emphasizes that allowing unlicensed reuse of this kind could undermine the legitimate licensing market for high-quality, curated content — especially when used to train generative AI tools. 

STM supports the brief’s position that copyright protects not just personality-laden works, but also the intellectual expressive works that involve crafting structured, discoverable, and context-rich editorial material. As in STM members’ own publishing workflows, such content is created with skill, creativity, and judgment — and should not be freely copied or repurposed without regard for copyright protections or the value of the underlying work. 

STM joins the Copyright Alliance and other amici in encouraging the court to uphold the principle that copyright supports innovation — including in the development of responsible, licensed AI. 

Delve deeper
 

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Scholarly publishing continues to evolve — new technologies, shifting policies, and growing expectations are reshaping a complex system where both experience and fresh thinking are essential. 

STM’s Mentorship Program, developed by the STM Early Career Publishers Committee (ECPC), helps people at different career stages navigate this landscape. It offers a practical way for early-career professionals to learn from experienced colleagues, and for mentors to gain insight from the next generation. A meaningful two-way exchange — one of STM’s more popular programs year over year.  

Applications are now open for 2026 

STM’s Mentorship Program is ready for both mentors and mentees to apply – and, new for 2026, the program will be supported by Mentorloop, mentoring software designed to smoothly facilitate and manage mentoring programs.

Open to all staff at STM member organizations, the program runs for 12 months and supports professional development through one-to-one mentoring relationships across companies, roles, and regions. 

Mentees take the lead in setting goals and shaping the conversation. Mentors support that process by offering guidance, sharing experience, and providing space for reflection and discussion. Regular contact is expected, but how it works — and what’s covered — is up to each pair. 

“There is so much change that we are undergoing as an industry and it is groups like this that prove invaluable – in connecting people and allowing us to learn from each other.”
– STM Mentorship Participant

New to the ECPC? 

The Early Career Publishers Committee brings together professionals from STM member organizations who are typically in their first ten years in the industry. Their focus is on practical efforts that support career development, mentoring, outreach, and entry into publishing. The mentorship program is one of several initiatives they run to connect people and encourage knowledge-sharing across the sector.  

Why It Matters  

In a global and increasingly interconnected industry, mentorship is one of the most effective ways to share knowledge across roles, organizations, and generations. It supports continuity, fosters innovation, and helps people find their place — and purpose — in a complex system. This is how we build a stronger, more connected publishing community. 

 Applications are now open — with responses due by Dec 12, 2026.  

APPLY HERE

“Whilst going into the scheme with key goals in mind, I’ve learnt far more than I could have imagined as both a mentor and a mentee.”
– STM Mentorship Participant

The post The 2026 STM Mentorship Program is open! appeared first on STM Association.

This addition comes in direct response to feedback from recent attendees looking for more applied, research-integrity-focused learning ahead of STM Research Integrity Day (10 December). These optional interactive sessions offer just that — a chance to explore key topics in depth the day before, fostering peer exchange and skill-building.

Held in parallel with the Fair’s afternoon session, the 1.5 hour workshops allow attendees to choose from three focused sessions, each designed to unpack essential themes in integrity and trust. You’ll leave with fresh insights, practical tools, and ideas you can apply in your day-to-day work. Registration fee for the workshops is €99.

Take your pick of three expert-led sessions: 

Forensic Scientometrics: Enhancing Research Integrity and Security for the Scholarly Ecosystem 

• Facilitated by: Leslie McIntosh (Research Integrity & Security, Digital Science) and René Aquarius (Radboudumc)
• Explore how forensic scientometrics can be used to uncover and address manipulation in the research ecosystem — and build stronger, more transparent systems of trust. 

Communication and Collaboration with Institutions 

• Facilitated by: Elizabeth Moylan (Wiley), Luigi Longobardi (IEEE), Olivia Nippe (Elsevier) 
• Learn practical strategies for working effectively with institutions when research integrity concerns arise — from knowing who to contact to building stronger partnerships across the ecosystem
  

Helping Your Editors and Reviewers Understand Research Integrity Issues 

• Facilitated by: Sabina Alam (Taylor & Francis), Daniel Acuna (ReviewerZero AI), Jigisha Patel (Research Integrity Ltd) 
• Support your editorial teams and peer reviewers with the tools and understanding they need to identify and respond to integrity issues — with interactive discussion and expert insights.

When: 9 December, 14:30–16:00
Where: BMA House, London (during STM Innovator Fair)

Learn more & register 

 These workshops are open to all I&I Days attendees — whether you’re joining for the full two-day program or just the first day. Make the most of your time at the Fair, and walk away with new ideas and insights, actionable skills, and stronger connections across the community. 

The post New this year: Research Integrity Workshops added to I&I Days lineup appeared first on STM Association.

The STM Association today announced the launch of Publishing Decoded, an educational resource designed to explain what scholarly publishing comprises to stakeholders outside the publishing industry.

Publishing Decoded showcases the extensive, often invisible infrastructure work that scholarly publishers provide to support the modern research ecosystem. The accessible microsite serves as an educational resource for journalists, policymakers, funders, and academic stakeholders, explaining how academic publishing operates today and the expanded role that modern publishers play in research.

“Public understanding of scholarly publishing has historically been limited, but it’s arguably more important today because of how technology—including AI—has evolved,” said STM CEO Caroline Sutton. “Key decisions impacting scholarly publishing are often made and influenced by people outside the publishing industry—from policymakers to journalists to funding agencies. We hope Publishing Decoded will serve as a resource to inform these critical conversations and decisions.”

The resource explains the publication process, peer review systems, research integrity protocols, open research practices, licensing frameworks, and the future of scholarly publishing. It serves as both a reference tool for media relations and an educational resource for stakeholders making decisions about research infrastructure partnerships.

Access Publishing Decoded 

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STM is pleased to welcome

AIP Publishing is a leading not-for-profit scholarly publisher serving the physical sciences community. With a mission to accelerate scientific discovery and ensure the quality and reliability of the scholarly record, AIP Publishing brings a strong focus on editorial excellence and integrity. 

“We’re very pleased to see AIP Publishing join the STM Integrity Hub,” said Joris van Rossum, Program Director, STM Solutions. “The Hub is designed to provide publishers with tools, infrastructure, and community insights to help address emerging integrity challenges. It’s encouraging to see momentum, with publishers like AIP Publishing joining—reflecting a shared commitment across the community to safeguarding the scholarly record.”

Launched in 2022, the STM Integrity Hub provides a secure, cloud-based environment where publishers can screen manuscripts using a suite of integrated tools. These tools—used independently by participating publishers—help identify patterns and signals associated with research integrity concerns. 

Today, more than 35 publishers use the Hub in their editorial workflows, screening over 125,000 manuscripts each month, and intercepting around 1,000 suspected paper mill submissions monthly, based on estimations from participating publishers. 

“We’re committed to investing in initiatives that strengthen confidence in the research we publish,” said Penelope Lewis, Chief Publishing Officer, AIP Publishing. “Joining the STM Integrity Hub enables our editors and authors to benefit from shared tools and insights that help safeguard the quality and credibility of the scientific record.”

Participation in the Hub is voluntary, and publishers maintain full editorial independence in how they use the tools and information it provides. 

Curious to learn more?
Join us in London on 10 December for Research Integrity Day 2025 to hear about the latest trends in research integrity, new approaches to combat paper mills, and recent advances with the STM Integrity Hub.

Learn more about the STM Integrity Hub and its impact

The post AIP Publishing joins the STM Integrity Hub to advance research integrity efforts appeared first on STM Association.

Selected from a record-breaking number of submissions this year, these innovators showcase some of the most promising technologies and ideas shaping the future of trusted research.

Attendees will experience these innovations first-hand—through lightning talks, live demos on the Fair floor, and also experience the Karger Publishers 2025 Vesalius Innovation Award ceremony, spotlighting five outstanding finalists.

Learn more about this year’s theme and selected presenters — and register to join us! >>

The post Announcing the selected presenters for the upcoming STM Innovator Fair appeared first on STM Association.

Manager / Director of Communications & Marketing – Lead STM’s communications and media strategy — from press outreach to public positioning. Help shape our voice across the research ecosystem and build visibility for mission and impact. (remote – UK, reporting to CEO). See here for the role profile.

Manager / Senior Manager, Public Affairs (EU) – Represent STM in Brussels, engage with EU institutions, and help shape policy for research and innovation. (Brussels-based, remote) See here for the role profile.

Join a mission-driven organisation at the heart of scholarly publishing — advancing trusted research worldwide.

Both are full-time, permanent roles offering the opportunity to make a real impact in a global, mission-driven association. Apply by: 14 November 2025.

View all STM industry job listings. 

The post STM is hiring for two positions appeared first on STM Association.