Consulting Services for Establishing a New Journal

Last Update: 1 August, 2026 | 22:32

Brieflands assists in launching academic journals, offering consultations on establishment needs, competitor analysis, publishing strategies, structure guidance, title selection, permit acquisition, and indexing.

Consulting for Establishing a New Journal

Launching a journal is a long-term commitment, and the decisions made before the first issue — scope, structure, title, permits, indexing strategy — determine whether it thrives or stalls. Brieflands has been publishing STM journals since 2007, and we put that experience at the disposal of institutions weighing this step: a clear-eyed assessment first, and a concrete roadmap if the case is there.

Thinking about launching a journal?

Tell us about your field, your institution, and your goals. The consultation starts with whether a new journal is the right instrument at all — and if it is, we plan it with you. Advanced services are priced by custom quotation.

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A Brieflands consultation session on establishing a new academic journal

What the consultation covers

Seven areas, in the order a launch actually raises them.

1

Assessing the need

Can your institution sustain a journal? We analyse knowledge-production capacity: the number of active researchers, the realistic rate of article production, and the ability to attract quality submissions beyond your own walls.

2

Competitor analysis

Identifying the local and international journals already serving your field, and where a new title can genuinely add something rather than divide the same submissions.

3

Publishing roadmap

A strategic plan from first issue to the journal's long-term objectives, with milestones you can hold the project to.

4

Journal structure

Defining scope, editorial policies, article types, and the operational framework — the elements indexers read first.

5

Title selection

A title that reflects the journal's essence, attracts its audience, and does not collide with an existing journal — a cheap mistake to avoid now and an expensive one to fix later.

6

Permits and approvals

Guidance on the approvals required from ministries of science, health, and culture, so the journal is compliant from its first issue.

7

Indexing strategy

A realistic sequence toward reputable databases — what DOAJ, Scopus, and PubMed Central each require, and how early decisions affect eligibility. See our scientometric services.

After the decision

If the assessment supports a launch, the same team can carry the journal into operation: the NeoScriber platform for submission and peer review, DOI and Crossref registration, XML production, design and layout, publication ethics consulting, and training for the editorial board.

A new journal should be built for the indexes it will one day apply to. DOAJ, for example, expects at least five research articles a year and a publishing history of more than one year — or ten published open access research articles — before an application. Planning for those thresholds from day one is far cheaper than retrofitting them.

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