Here at BioMed Central and SpringerOpen, we are privileged to work with our expert journal editors. They have exceptional knowledge and experience both in their academic field and in reviewing and disseminating research. Many of our editors have been involved with open access publishing since the early days and our newer editors are equally enthusiastic.

As an editor, keeping up to date with developments in research publishing is quite a challenge on top of running a journal and often holding down high level positions in research or academia. And there’s little in the way of formal career development and training for the role. So one of the ways we work to support our editors is to run Editors’ Conferences every year at different locations around the world – this year in London, and most recently in New York in September.

Those attending benefit from the exchange of ideas with both our professional publishing staff and their fellow editors. They engage in lively debates on topics close to their heart such as rewarding peer reviewers and making the submission and publication process as smooth as possible for authors. They also have the chance to enhance their expertise on research ethics and integrity.

Thank you for an educational day. It was inspiring to learn how hard you are working to improve the journals, focusing on integrity, reproducibility and education. – David Glass, Skeletal Muscle

Not only do our delegates have the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences with colleagues and develop ideas on how to improve their journal, they also get an overview of the latest innovations and the chance to give their input into future directions. At the New York meeting, for instance, our editors heard about several of our latest projects, including:

Publons trial– a scheme to reward reviewers

Penelope project– a tool to assist authors to choose the correct reporting guidelines

Data sharing– leading the way on open data policies

Newer editors also have the opportunity to attend the ‘Foundations for Editors’ short course, which covers the key elements of being a journal editor.