List of International Publishers recommended by RCL

Internationally Recognized Academic Publisher

An internationally recognized academic publisher is understood to be a publisher that:

• consistently publishes and distributes scholarly works by researchers from different countries, including monographs, edited volumes, collective research studies, as well as peer reviewed periodical and continuing academic publications
• operates within the international academic environment, with its publications accessible and distributed in more than one country
• publicly provides clear information about its publishing profile, peer review procedures, editorial policy, and international visibility
• applies independent and anonymous peer review of scholarly works
• publishes thematic book series edited by internationally recognized scholars
• establishes international editorial boards or advisory boards
• ensures that its publications are indexed in recognized international databases
• maintains continuous dissemination through universities and research libraries worldwide
• collects and integrates publication metadata into international information systems
• follows transparent policies on authorship, publication ethics, and academic integrity

---

What Is Considered an International Level Publication?

An international level scholarly publication is a publication issued by a Lithuanian or foreign academic journal or publisher that meets at least some of the following criteria:

• has citation indicators or is indexed in recognized international databases
• has an international editorial board composed of scholars from different countries
• publishes research results by scholars from various countries
• is edited or compiled by recognized representatives of the relevant field of science
• is published by an internationally recognized academic publisher
• is issued by an internationally recognized scholarly community or organization
• complies with international standards of research ethics, peer review, and publishing transparency

When assessing the international level of a publication, it is important to consider not only the name of the publisher, but also the actual visibility of the publication, its academic reputation, the quality of peer review, the scope of dissemination, and citation impact.

---

Is It Sufficient to Rely on the RCL List?

The Research Council of Lithuania, hereinafter RCL, annually publishes a list of internationally recognized academic publishers. This list is compiled retrospectively, including publishers where Lithuanian researchers have published, but typically without conducting a comprehensive qualitative evaluation of those publishers.

The list of internationally recognized publishers that in 2024 published monographs by Lithuanian researchers, which were submitted by Lithuanian universities and research institutes as research dissemination outputs in the field of social sciences, is also made publicly available.

Publishers of varying academic standards may be included in this list, including those oriented toward a narrower or primarily national audience. For this reason, formal inclusion in the RCL list cannot in itself be considered a sufficient indicator of quality. In each case, an individual assessment of the publisher’s reputation, peer review practices, and international visibility is recommended.