MDPI

MDPI, which stands for Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, is a publisher of open-access scientific journals. Founded in 1996, MDPI has grown to become one of the largest academic publishers, issuing hundreds of journals across a wide range of disciplines. Their business model relies on an article processing charge (APC) paid by authors or their institutions upon acceptance of a manuscript for publication.

The company operates entirely online, facilitating a rapid peer-review and publication process for many of its journals. This speed is often cited as an advantage by researchers seeking to disseminate their findings quickly. MDPI's portfolio includes both established journals and newer titles, covering fields from medicine and engineering to social sciences and humanities.

MDPI's open-access model means that all published articles are freely available to readers worldwide without subscription fees. This aligns with a growing movement in academia to make research more accessible. However, like many open-access publishers, MDPI has faced scrutiny regarding its peer-review processes and the sheer volume of journals it publishes. Discussions within the scientific community often revolve around the perceived quality and impact of articles published in some of its journals compared to more traditional, subscription-based publishers. Despite these discussions, MDPI remains a significant player in scholarly publishing, contributing to the widespread availability of scientific research.