Announcements

The editorial team at Multimodal Technologies and Interaction extends our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated reviewers whose expertise and commitment have been key to the journal's success in 2024. Last year, Multimodal Technologies and Interaction received 556 review reports from 298 reviewers representing 41 countries and regions worldwide.

To recognize the invaluable time, effort, and attention to detail that each reviewer dedicates, Multimodal Technologies and Interaction expresses its sincere gratitude through an annual acknowledgment of reviewers.

We are honored to recognize the reviewers who allowed us to publish their names each year. The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

Conference: 30th Annual ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces
Date: 24–27 March 2025
Location: Cagliari, Italy

MDPI will be attending the 30th Annual ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces as an exhibitor which will be held from 24 to 27 March 2025. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The 30th Annual ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (ACM IUI) 2025 provides an ideal platform for leading researchers and practitioners to meet and discuss the state-of-the-art advances at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and human–computer interaction (HCI). Ideal IUI submissions should address practical HCI challenges using machine intelligence and explore both the computational and human-centric aspects of such methodologies, techniques, and systems.

The theme for IUI 2025 is “sustainability”, covering a wide variety of topics, such as intelligent user interfaces allowing for social inclusion, interactive intelligent systems for environmental sustainability, human control of energy management or resource conservation, behavioral changes, and data-driven decision-making for environmental monitoring.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• MTI;
• Electronics;
• Applied Sciences;
• Computers;
• Biomimetics;
• Information;
• Sustainability;
• Robotics;
• Future Internet;
• IoT;
• Virtual Worlds;
• AI;
• MAKE;
• Algorithms;
• Digital;
• Informatics.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://iui.acm.org/2025/index.html.

Education is a fundamental right and a powerful driver of equity, justice, and sustainable development. It opens pathways to opportunity, fosters critical thinking, and empowers individuals to make meaningful contributions to society.

On International Day of Education, we reflect on the transformative power of education in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. This day serves as a call to action for accessible, inclusive education for all, regardless of age, gender, and background. As we pursue global progress, it is essential to tackle the systemic barriers that prevent millions from accessing quality education—such as poverty, discrimination, and a lack of technological infrastructure. By prioritizing inclusive and innovative educational systems, we can nurture engaged, resilient, and informed communities capable of confronting urgent global issues like climate change, social inequality, and environmental sustainability.

In celebration of this day, we invite you to explore a curation of insightful articles, journals, and Special Issues across various fields, including education sciences, social sciences, and sustainability. By sharing these findings, we hope to inspire transformative educational policies, advocate for more inclusive practices, and contribute to a more sustainable and compassionate global society.

“Reading Comprehension in Older Adults—Effects of Age, Educational Level, and Reading Habits”
by Bernardo Riffo, Carlos Rojas, Andrea Helo, Mónica Véliz, Paula Urzúa, Gloria Gutierrez and Ernesto Guerra
J. Intell. 2025, 13(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13010004

“Generative AI in Education: Assessing Usability, Ethical Implications, and Communication Effectiveness”
by Maria Matsiola, Georgios Lappas and Anastasia Yannacopoulou
Societies 2024, 14(12), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14120267

“Metacognition About Collaborative Learning: Students’ Beliefs Are Inconsistent with Their Learning Preferences”
by Yunfeng Wei, Nicholas C. Soderstrom, Michelle L. Meade and Brandon G. Scott
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14111104

“Education for Sustainable Development: What Matters?”
by Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Țoniș, Dan Gheorghe Păun, Oliva M. D. Martins, Artur J. Santos and Laura Urdeș
Sustainability 2024, 16(21), 9493; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219493

““SHIELDing” Our Educators: Comprehensive Coping Strategies for Teacher Occupational Well-Being”
by Joy C. Nwoko, Emma Anderson, Oyelola A. Adegboye, Aduli E. O. Malau-Aduli and Bunmi S. Malau-Aduli
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100918

“Extended Reality Educational System with Virtual Teacher Interaction for Enhanced Learning”
by Fotis Liarokapis, Vaclav Milata and Filip Skola
Multimodal Technol. Interact. 2024, 8(9), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/mti8090083

“Exploring Social Skills in Students of Diverse Cultural Identities in Primary Education”
by María Tomé-Fernández, Eva María Aranda-Vega and José Manuel Ortiz-Marcos
Societies 2024, 14(9), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14090158

“Metacognitive Management of Attention in Online Learning”
by Matthew Jensen Hays, Scott Richard Kustes and Elizabeth Ligon Bjork
J. Intell. 2024, 12(4), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence12040046

“Interactive Learning with iPads and Augmented Reality: A Sustainability-Oriented Approach to Teaching Plastics Chemistry”
by Sabrina Syskowski, Chantal Lathwesen, Nikolai Maurer, Antje Siol, Ingo Eilks and Johannes Huwer
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3342; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083342

“Inclusive Teaching in Higher Education: Challenges of Diversity in Learning Situations from the Lecturer Perspective”
by Rannveig Beito Svendby
Social Sciences 2024, 13(3), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13030140

“Examining the Efficacy of ChatGPT in Marking Short-Answer Assessments in an Undergraduate Medical Program”
by Leo Morjaria, Levi Burns, Keyna Bracken, Anthony J. Levinson, Quang N. Ngo, Mark Lee and Matthew Sibbald
Int. Med. Educ. 2024, 3(1), 32-43; https://doi.org/10.3390/ime3010004

“Education for Environmental Citizenship in Pre-Service Teachers: Potentialities and Limitations of a Pedagogical Approach Applied at a Distance”
by Elisabete Linhares and Pedro Reis
Sustainability 2023, 15(21), 15411; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115411

“Sustainability Education Across the Lifespan”	“Innovative Theories and Practices for Designing and Evaluating Inclusive Educational Technology and Online Learning”
Topics: “Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education”	“Agency in Teaching and Learning with Digital Technology: Opportunities and Challenges”

International Day of Education Webinar 2025

Session 1: 24 January 2025, 11:00 a.m. CET
Session 2: 24 January 2025, 3:00 p.m. CET
Free to register for both sessions.
Recordings will be available on Sciforum shortly afterwards.

In celebration of the International Day of Education, which is celebrated on 24 January 2025, MDPI is delighted to announce a special webinar dedicated to fostering dialogue and collaboration among researchers, educators, and students. This event will explore inclusive, equitable, and innovative education strategies to ensure lifelong learning opportunities for all.

This webinar aims to connect members of the international open access community, encouraging them to share research findings, insights, and best practices. Together, we can contribute to building a more inclusive and sustainable future.

We warmly invite you to join us at the MDPI International Day of Education Webinar 2025. Let us come together to shape the future of education!

Title: MDPI International Day of Education Webinar 2025 | Session 2
Date: 24 January 2025
Time: 3:00 p.m.–4:55 p.m. (CET) | 9:00 a.m.–10:55 a.m. (EST)

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register for free:

Program:

Relevant Special Issues:

MTI
“Innovative Theories and Practices for Designing and Evaluating Inclusive Educational Technology and Online Learning”
Guest Editor: Dr. Julius Nganji
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025

Sustainability
“Sustainability in Higher Education: Curriculum Design and Materials Development”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Ajda Fošner
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 2 April 2025

Societies
“Sustainability Education Across the Lifespan”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Naomi T. Krogman and Prof. Dr. Susan A. O’Neill
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025

Social Sciences
“Gender Equity in K-12 Education, Academia and Higher Education: A Global Perspective”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. James Etim
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025

Education Sciences
“Agency in Teaching and Learning with Digital Technology: Opportunities and Challenges”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Irina Engeness and Prof. Dr. Siv M. Gamlem
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025

Journal of Intelligence
“Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Skills in Students”
Guest Editors: Dr. Cristian A. Rojas Barahona, Dr. Cristina Rodríguez and Prof. Dr. Roberto A. Ferreira
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2025

IME
“Health Professions Education Advancements and Innovations—International Perspectives”
Guest Editors: Dr. Douglas McHugh and Dr. Anthony Payne
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 January 2026

Topics:

“Explainable AI in Education”
Topic Editors: Dr. Guanfeng Liu, Dr. Karina Luzia, Dr. Luke Bozzetto, Dr. Tommy Yuan and Prof. Dr. Pengpeng Zhao
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025

“Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education”
Topic Editors: Dr. Xin Zhao, Prof. Dr. Minna Rollins and Dr. Marco Carratù
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025

In celebration of the International Day of Education, which is celebrated on 24 January 2025, MDPI is delighted to announce a special webinar dedicated to fostering dialogue and collaboration among researchers, educators, and students. This event will explore inclusive, equitable, and innovative education strategies to ensure lifelong learning opportunities for all.

This webinar aims to connect members of the international open access community, encouraging them to share research findings, insights, and best practices. Together, we can contribute to building a more inclusive and sustainable future.

We warmly invite you to join us at the MDPI International Day of Education Webinar 2025. Let us come together to shape the future of education!

Title: MDPI International Day of Education Webinar 2025 | Session 1
Date: 24 January 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (CET) | 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (CST Asia)

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register for free:

Program:

Relevant Special Issues:

MTI
“Innovative Theories and Practices for Designing and Evaluating Inclusive Educational Technology and Online Learning”
Guest Editor: Dr. Julius Nganji
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025

Sustainability
“Sustainability in Higher Education: Curriculum Design and Materials Development”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Ajda Fošner
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 2 April 2025

Societies
“Sustainability Education Across the Lifespan”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Naomi T. Krogman and Prof. Dr. Susan A. O’Neill
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025

Social Sciences
“Gender Equity in K-12 Education, Academia and Higher Education: A Global Perspective”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. James Etim
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025

Education Sciences
“Agency in Teaching and Learning with Digital Technology: Opportunities and Challenges”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Irina Engeness and Prof. Dr. Siv M. Gamlem
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025

Journal of Intelligence
“Cognitive, Emotional, and Social Skills in Students”
Guest Editors: Dr. Cristian A. Rojas Barahona, Dr. Cristina Rodríguez and Prof. Dr. Roberto A. Ferreira
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2025

IME
“Health Professions Education Advancements and Innovations—International Perspectives”
Guest Editors: Dr. Douglas McHugh and Dr. Anthony Payne
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 26 January 2026

Topics:

“Explainable AI in Education”
Topic Editors: Dr. Guanfeng Liu, Dr. Karina Luzia, Dr. Luke Bozzetto, Dr. Tommy Yuan and Prof. Dr. Pengpeng Zhao
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025

“Generative Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education”
Topic Editors: Dr. Xin Zhao, Prof. Dr. Minna Rollins and Dr. Marco Carratù
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025

Nine new journals covering multiple subjects launched their inaugural issues in December 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of the Editorial Board Members, and each journal will ensure its high-quality output by using excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Zhaoyang Dong City University of Hong Kong, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	energy storage technologies; energy storage system management; energy storage applications; strategies in renewable energy generation grid integration; distributed storage systems; economics and markets for energy storage View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Yang-Hui He 1. London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Royal Institution, UK 2. University of Oxford, UK Editorial | View inaugural issue	Euclidean geometry; differential geometry; algebraic geometry; complex geometry; discrete geometry; computational geometry; geometric group theory;  convex geometry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Michel Planat Université de Franche-Comté, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	differential topology; algebraic topology; manifold topology; homology theory; low-dimensional topology; fuzzy sets View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Rashid Al Abri 1. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman 2. Oman Medical Association, Oman Editorial | View inaugural issue	clinical practices as well as research and innovation in medical education, risk management in healthcare, and patient safety View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili* New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA *Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili passed away before the completion of the inaugural issue. His dedication and vision for JPBI will always be remembered and serve as a guiding inspiration. Editorial | View inaugural issue	early drug discovery and development; product characterization and pre-clinical testing; drug delivery systems and drug design; active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Weiyong Liu Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	theories, methodologies, technologies, and applications in the fields of laboratory medicine and clinical chemistry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar University of Granada, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	scientometrics; informetrics; bibliometrics; altmetrics; webometrics; research evaluation View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Fei Fan Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	regional growth theory and methods; regional system modeling and optimization; regional development policy; regional spatial evolution; environmental policy and instrument choice View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione Université Catholique de Lille, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	wild species and their habitats; wild environments and biodiversity; natural environment management; wild land preservation View journal scope | Submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

More than 100 German universities and research institutions have entered into a national agreement with MDPI. The publication agreement negotiated by ZB MED comes into effect on 1 January 2025 and is valid until the end of 2026. Joining the consortium is still possible until the beginning of 2025. We are delighted by the high level of interest this agreement has already garnered, reflecting the strong demand for accessible and cost-effective open access publishing solutions among German research institutions.

This new cooperation aims to make scientific gold open access publishing more affordable and less administratively burdensome for researchers in Germany. The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs) for corresponding authors from participating institutions. It offers flexible payment options, including centralized invoicing or individual payment of fees by researchers or their institutions. Additionally, the agreement features a flat-fee model that enables institutions to precisely plan expenses and optimize their library budgets.

"MDPI can look back on over a decade of successful partnerships with German research institutions," says Peter Roth, MDPI Head of Publishing. "The new agreement marks another milestone in the long-standing co-operation between MDPI and the German scientific community. It emphasizes our commitment to developing up-to-date and inventive solutions for the diverse needs of scientific institutions to promote open research for the benefit of researchers."

Petra Labriga, Head of Strategic License Management at ZB MED, highlighted the agreement's significance: "As one of the world's leading Gold OA publishers, MDPI plays a central role in the German publishing landscape. We are particularly pleased that we were able to achieve considerable potential cost savings for scientific institutions and their authors at a national level through our negotiations."

The partnership reflects a common goal of advancing the idea of open access and supporting researchers in making their scientific excellence internationally visible.

"We would like to thank the ZB MED consortium team for their excellent collaboration," added Adrian Stefan Zamfir, MDPI Institutional Partnership Manager for the DACH region. "We are delighted that this agreement will give even more researchers in Germany access to our tried-and-tested and reliable publication platform."

Franziska Fischer (right), Commercial Director at ZB MED, an Peter Roth (left), Head of Publishing at MDPI, celebrate the signing of the new national open access agreement between MDPI and the ZB MED Consortium.

More Information

• Conditions and participation opportunities (German): Link
• Frequently asked questions (German): Link

Contact

• ZB MED: Team Konsortiallizenzen ([email protected]) - Website
  MDPI: Adrian Stefan Zamfir, Institutional Partnership Manager ([email protected])
  
  

About ZB MED

ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences is an infrastructure and research centre for life science information and data. Its aim is to support and strengthen research for people and the environment: from medicine to biodiversity and environmental protection.

The work of ZB MED is orientated towards the strategic guidelines:

• Research + Networking: We conduct research together with the regionally, nationally, European and globally networked research community.
• Data science: We enable data analyses and generate new knowledge through research.
• Access to information: We provide sustainable access to information, literature and data as a central information infrastructure.
• Open + FAIR: We promote open and reproducible science in line with open science and FAIR principles.
• Knowledge and skills transfer: We actively impart knowledge, competences and skills.

More information at www.zbmed.de.

About MDPI

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI is one of the world's leading open access publishers with a current portfolio of more than 440 journals in all scientific disciplines. MDPI‘s goal is to advance open science worldwide through greater transparency, efficiency and collaboration. To date, more than 3.7 million researchers have published their results in MDPI journals. The editorial process is overseen by a large network of dedicated reviewers and editors and supported by more than 6500 MDPI employees. MDPI currently works with over 800 academic institutions and 180 scientific societies worldwide, which benefit from a wide range of MDPI services and products.

We are pleased to announce a series of updates to our template, aimed at improving the readability and overall aesthetics of our publications. These changes have been meticulously designed to enhance the user experience and ensure consistency across all our publications. The updated template will be available for download from the Instructions for Authors page.

The following updates will be applied to articles published in the 2025 volumes, starting on 24 December 2024:

• Main text: The line spacing has been increased to improve the readability of publications;
• Header and footer: The link to the journal website will be removed, as a hyperlink has been integrated into the journal logo. Additionally, the DOI link will be moved from the left-hand side to the right-hand side, and both the header and footer will be slightly raised to achieve a better balance;
• Left information bar: The information provided here has been rearranged for better organization; the CC-BY logo will be removed;
• Font size: The font size used for the abstract, keywords, and first-level headings will be increased.

Furthermore, MDPI journals will continue to use article numbers. This approach enables us to maintain a rapid and efficient production process by being able to define pagination as soon as a paper is accepted.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with a better experience and make the process more convenient.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions.

Conference: 18th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering (ICBME 2024)
Organization: National University of Singapore and the Biomedical Engineering Society (Singapore)
Place: NUS College of Design and Engineering, Singapore
Date: 9–12 December 2024
Booth ID: #B6

We are excited to announce that MDPI journals will participate as exhibitors at ICBME 2024, hosted at the NUS College of Design and Engineering, Singapore, from 9 to 12 December 2024. This prestigious event has been a cornerstone in the biomedical engineering field since 1983, now drawing over 600 delegates from 30+ countries.

ICBME 2024 will feature an exciting program, including plenary and keynote lectures, scientific talks, exhibitions, and specialized symposia like the APBEC Young Scholars Symposium and Women in Engineering Symposium. With competitions, awards, and ample networking opportunities, it offers a vibrant platform for collaboration and the exchange of cutting-edge ideas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Biosensors;
• Applied Sciences;
• MTI;
• Hardware;
• Sensors;
• Micromachines;
• Technologies;
• NDT.