At Italy’s premier conference on libraries and scholarly communication, Convegno delle Stelline, Frontiers took a leading role in shaping the national conversation on research integrity and open access. With institutions across the country increasingly seeking collaborative, systemic solutions, Frontiers hosted two workshops - one exploring the evolving ethics of research, and the other showcasing their new Insights Platform, a data-driven dashboard designed to support libraries and institutional decision-makers.

Together, the sessions reflected Frontiers’ dual commitment to ethical leadership and meaningful, data-informed partnerships with the academic community.

Beyond compliance: reframing research integrity in Italy

Moderated by Martina Sollai and Eleonora Colangelo, the workshop ’Rome Declaration and Beyond: A Pluralistic Approach to Research Integrity in Italy‘ brought together two leading voices in academic ethics and governance: Dr. Marco Annoni (CID-Ethics, National Research Council and Umberto Veronesi Foundation) and Professor Alberto Pirni (Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa). The session addressed a timely national challenge by exploring how institutions can move beyond a compliance-based mindset and embed research integrity within their cultures.

“Compliance fosters mere reproduction, while culture drives self-innovation” noted Prof. Pirni, urging institutions to embrace integrity as a dynamic, living value. Dr. Annoni echoed this, presenting the work of CNR’s pioneering Commission for Ethics and Research Integrity - Italy’s first national initiative of its kind - which focuses on rehabilitation, retrospective assessment, and long-term ethical guidance.

Building momentum from January’s Rome Congress on Research Integrity - where Frontiers was the only publisher in attendance - this session advanced the conversation with fresh institutional perspectives and practical next steps. Dr. Annoni emphasized that publishers are not peripheral actors but co-responsible participants in shaping the quality of research.

Frontiers' own perspective was voiced by Eleonora Colangelo, who emphasized the publisher’s long-term commitment:

“Beyond engaging in open, rigorous discussions with all stakeholders involved in any national plan for research integrity, publishers should lead the way in pragmatically ensuring accountability. Frontiers is committed to helping turn national ambitions for research integrity into concrete actions—through transparency, expertise, and sustained ethical advocacy that supports and serves all actors across the research ecosystem."

Both speakers called for the creation of a National Observatory for Research Integrity, backed by all stakeholders, to support alignment and shared direction across Italy's ecosystem of integrity-focused initiatives. As Dr. Annoni explained, despite the availability of EU-funded training resources, many remain underused. An observatory would harmonize efforts, align national and European frameworks, and promote inclusive, actionable approaches to ethics in research.

Professor Pirni further stressed that training should not be a formality, but a value-driven, leadership-led effort. Libraries, he noted, have a crucial role to play as trusted hubs of knowledge and education on research ethics.

From data to impact: introducing the Insights Platform for libraries

Frontiers also unveiled its new Insights Platform - an interactive dashboard developed to empower libraries and academic institutions with clear, real-time data on institutional publishing activity with Frontiers, authorship trends, top-performing journals, and more - supporting open science strategies with transparency and precision.

The session 'Frontiers’ Insights Platform: an interdisciplinary tool for academic libraries and institutions' featured a live demonstration led by Eva Guiducci and Rebecca Massaro during which librarians praised the platform’s ease of use and potential to support strategic planning. Frontiers reaffirmed that the platform is available to both current partners and interested institutions and welcomed all attendees to request access for a tailored consultation.

Recognized leadership in integrity and innovation

Throughout Convegno delle Stelline 2025, Frontiers’ visible engagement and meaningful contributions were widely acknowledged by both current partners and those with developing ties to Frontiers.

Representatives from National Research Council, University of Florence, and Catholic University of Sacred Heart emphasized appreciation for the publisher’s transparent communication and commitment to high standards in both integrity and service. Stakeholders from Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies and University of Milan - Bicocca and La Statale - underlined the importance of actionable tools like the Insights Platform in supporting open access strategies.

Both workshop speakers publicly recognized Frontiers’ leadership role in Italy’s evolving research integrity infrastructure and its role in advocating for collaborative national frameworks. In the words of Dr. Annoni: “No scientific conversation can be had without addressing research integrity” - pointing to publishers like Frontiers as key actors in driving system-wide reform.

Looking ahead

Throughout Convegno delle Stelline 2025, Frontiers’ visible engagement and meaningful contributions were widely acknowledged by both current partners and those with developing ties to Frontiers.

Frontiers remains committed to turning dialogue into action. As the only publisher to participate in both the Rome Congress and Stelline 2025 workshops on integrity governance, Frontiers will continue to champion a collaborative, pluralistic, and evidence-based approach - where publishers, libraries, funders, and institutions work together to embed integrity in every layer of the research process.

Following the success of Convegno delle Stelline, Frontiers will expand on the themes presented through upcoming initiatives, including a recorded webinar version of the research integrity workshop, consultations with institutions exploring the Frontiers Insights Platform, and early-stage discussions on summer training programs with leading academic partners.

As Italy accelerates its national commitment to open access and research quality, Frontiers remains a trusted ally, combining innovation, integrity and a shared vision for a more inclusive and impactful research future.