Open-access publisher Frontiers to cut 600 jobs

The open-access publisher Frontiers has announced plans to cut 600 jobs across 23 countries, citing “current market conditions”.

In a statement published online, the publisher said a market downturn at the end of the Covid pandemic had prompted “a major reorganisation” of the company throughout 2023, which included the formation of “multi-expert teams empowered with AI technology”.

The upcoming cuts will see a workforce of 2,000 reduced to 1,400 employees in an effort to “increas[e] efficiency further”.

“This makes Frontiers a leaner and more agile organisation, with enhanced financial resilience amidst market shifts,” the statement says.

Founded in Switzerland in 2007, Frontiers publishes more than 200 journals, with offices in the UK, China and Spain.

It said the number of article submissions had increased during Covid-19, with open access publishers being prioritised in the hope of sharing knowledge swiftly. But since the end of the pandemic, the publishing market had seen a “downturn”, the firm said.

Chief executive Kamila Markram, who co-founded the publisher alongside Henry Markram, called the job cuts “the most difficult decision in Frontiers history”.

“Our organization thrives on the passion and expertise of its people, and I am confident that these changes will empower us to amplify their contributions to open science publishing. I am sad we need to let go of so many talented colleagues and I am very grateful for their invaluable contributions to making science open,” Dr Markram said in a statement.

“We need to shape a Frontiers primed for the future. This signifies a more agile and efficient model for open access publishing to serve the global community of researchers, institutions, and funders,” she continued. “By providing an open access publishing service based on quality, we can boost sharing of scientific knowledge, foster global collaborations, accelerate the innovation cycle, increase return on investment in science, and build public trust in science.

“Society must not wait any longer for open access to science.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com