271 MDPI and Frontiers Journals Downgraded to Level 0 by JUFO – EI Conference Strategies
125 views||Release time: Jul 30, 2025
On July 29, 2025, the Finnish Publication Forum (JUFO) announced a significant decision: starting in 2025, 271 journals, including many from MDPI and Frontiers, will be downgraded to “Level 0,” indicating they no longer meet basic academic standards. Among these, 123 are biomedical journals (full list at the end). This decision has sent shockwaves through the academic community, catching researchers and editors off guard. This SEO-optimized article explores JUFO’s decision, its implications for EI Compendex conferences, and actionable advice for authors. What is the Finnish Publication Forum (JUFO)? The Finnish Publication Forum (JUFO) is a research publication evaluation system managed by the Finnish academic community to enhance the quality and impact of scholarly publishing. JUFO assigns quality levels to journals, conference proceedings, and books to guide research funding and evaluation in Finland. The system categorizes publications into four levels:
Level 3: Top-tier international publications. Level 2: High-quality academic publications. Level 1: Meets basic academic standards (peer-reviewed, expert editorial board). Level 0: Fails to meet academic standards, equivalent to non-peer-reviewed or popular articles.
JUFO’s classifications are based on factors like peer review rigor, publication impact, and editorial board expertise. Covering various disciplines, JUFO relies on expert panels to ensure accurate and authoritative evaluations. The JUFO list is periodically updated to reflect changes in the academic publishing landscape, including the emergence of high-quality journals or publishers. Journals downgraded to Level 0 can apply for reclassification to Level 1 by submitting a revision proposal through the JUFO portal, supported by robust evidence (not solely based on impact factor). Expert panels review these proposals periodically. JUFO’s Downgrade Decision: Key Details
Scale of Downgrade: Starting in 2025, 271 journals—193 from MDPI and 78 from Frontiers—will be reclassified as Level 0, including 123 biomedical journals. Exceptions: After expert review, 16 MDPI journals and 22 Frontiers journals retain Level 1 status, meeting basic academic standards. Reason for Downgrade: JUFO cites concerns with the Article Processing Charge (APC) model used by MDPI and Frontiers, suggesting that their focus on high publication volume and speed may compromise rigorous quality control, labeling these as “grey area journals.” Impact: Level 0 journals will carry lower weight in Finland’s university funding model (2025–2028), potentially discouraging researchers from publishing in these venues and affecting EI conference paper submissions.
Implications for EI Compendex Conferences EI Compendex, a leading engineering database, maintains strict standards for journal and conference paper indexing (see related article: Journals Not in EI Directory or Discontinued List). JUFO’s downgrade may indirectly impact EI indexing for MDPI and Frontiers journals:
Risk of Suspension: As noted in Journals Not in EI Directory or Discontinued List, EI journals face suspension or discontinuation (DISCONTINUED status) due to quality issues. JUFO’s Level 0 classification may prompt EI to reassess these journals, increasing suspension risks. Impact on EI Conferences: Many EI conferences, often linked to MDPI or Frontiers journals, may face heightened scrutiny. Authors submitting to these conferences risk indexing uncertainty, especially if the associated journal is downgraded. Proof Checking Challenges: As outlined in Proof Checking for Springer-Published EI Conference Papers, EI papers require meticulous format verification (e.g., references, table labels). Downgraded journals may face stricter editorial oversight, increasing authors’ workload during proof checks.
Recommendations for Authors To navigate this downgrade and ensure EI Compendex indexing, authors should consider the following:
Review the Downgrade List: Check JUFO’s official list of 271 downgraded journals, including 123 biomedical titles, available at https://julkaisufoorumi.fi/sites/default/files/2024-12/List%20of%20journals%20to%20be%20downgraded%20to%20level%200.pdf. Avoid submitting to high-risk journals. Verify EI Indexing Status: Before submission, confirm the journal’s status in the EI Compendex Source List (available via Elsevier or Engineering Village) to ensure it’s not suspended or discontinued. Apply for Conference Scholarships: As discussed in Benefits of Applying for Academic Conference Scholarships, scholarships can offset EI conference costs (e.g., registration, travel). They also allow direct communication with editors during proof checks, ensuring compliance with EI formats (see EI Paper Format Guide). Submit Revision Proposals: If a downgraded journal is deemed academically valuable, authors or editors can submit a revision proposal to JUFO with evidence of peer review rigor and editorial quality, aiming to restore Level 1 status. Choose Reliable Journals: Prioritize submissions to the 16 MDPI or 22 Frontiers journals retaining Level 1 status, or other stable EI-indexed journals (e.g., Springer, IEEE) to minimize indexing risks. Monitor Updates: JUFO plans to reassess other APC-based journals in spring 2025. Authors should track updates to the JUFO list and EI Source List (updated every 3–4 months) for the latest journal statuses.
Academic Controversy and Responses
MDPI and Frontiers Criticism:
MDPI argues JUFO’s downgrade lacks transparency, claiming the blanket reclassification of 271 journals overlooks individual journal quality and unfairly targets open-access (OA) models. Frontiers contends that downgraded journals meet Level 1 standards (e.g., peer review, expert editorial boards), criticizing JUFO for relying on “hearsay and unreliable lists” without specific feedback, which harms the OA model.
Academic Concerns: JUFO highlights that the rapid publication pace and high volume of MDPI and Frontiers (e.g., Journal of Clinical Medicine grew from 44 articles in 2017 to 4,367 in 2021) may weaken quality control, fueling debates about APC model sustainability. Case Study: Frontiers in Cell Development and Biology faced criticism for publishing AI-generated inappropriate content (e.g., erroneous images), underscoring lax review processes in some journals.
Conclusion JUFO’s decision to downgrade 271 MDPI and Frontiers journals to Level 0 reflects growing concerns about quality control in APC-based publishing, potentially impacting EI Compendex indexing for conference papers. Authors should verify journal statuses, adhere to EI format guidelines, and leverage conference scholarships to ensure indexing success. By monitoring JUFO and EI updates and choosing reliable journals, researchers can safeguard their academic output’s credibility. Appendix: Downgraded Journal Lists
