Crowdfunding for „Research on Language“ New open access journal selected by the Specialised Information Service for Educational Science

The new open access journal ‘Research on Language’ has been selected by the Specialised Information Service for Educational Science and Educational Research as one of five journals to be included in its 2025 crowdfunding package. In this type of crowdfunding, academic libraries contribute to the financing of publications. The University Library of Braunschweig also plans to support the journal, which is co-edited by Professor Katharina Kellermann from the Institute of German Studies at Technische Universität Braunschweig.

The new open access journal ‘Research on Language’ focuses on how language is researched, shaped and used in educational processes. Image credits: Gideon Rothmann/TU Braunschweig

The new journal ‘Research on Language’ focuses on how language is researched, shaped and used in educational processes. It views language as a key resource for education, participation and social action, and therefore takes an interdisciplinary approach. Issues of language education are addressed throughout the entire educational chain: from early language acquisition and language support in schools to scientific language in higher education and research. Particular focus is placed on topics such as multilingualism, language education in migration contexts, literacy development, language teaching professionalism, and the relationship between language, power and educational equity.

The journal provides a forum for empirical and theoretical contributions, innovative methodological approaches and reflection on language in educational, social and political contexts. ‘Research on Language’ is edited by Professor Katharina Kellermann (TU Braunschweig), Professor Anja Wildemann (Rheinland-Pfalz Technical University Kaiserslautern-Landau), Professor Anja Müller (University of Mainz), Dr. Lena Bien-Miller (University of Giessen) and Dr. Sarah Fornol (University of Bremen).

Funding for the journal for two years

The inclusion of ‘Research on Language’ in the crowdfunding package of the Specialised Information Service (FID) for Educational Science and Educational Research is a major first success. Crowdfunding will start in July 2025: Academic libraries in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can contribute to the financing of the journal until the end of October. The participation fee is 182 euros per year and journal. If the calculated minimum number of 50 participating libraries is reached, funding for two years is secured.

The University Library of TU Braunschweig has also already signalled its intention to support ‘Research on Language’ with a financial contribution. “We are very pleased about the support from our own university,” said Professor Kellermann. “This is an important sign of the visibility and relevance of language-related educational research.”

University library promotes open access publications

“Promoting open access publications in many different forms is an important goal for TU Braunschweig, which is being implemented by the University Library,” says Robert Strötgen, Director of the University Library. Researchers can contact the University Library team with similar requests, for example by emailing openaccess@tu-braunschweig.de.

‘Research on Language’ is published on www.researchonlanguage.de and is available in open access. The aim is to make research accessible, connectable and relevant to a broad specialist audience. The funding model of the specialist information service enables a sustainable way of financing such journals.