The annual meeting of the Astronomy and Astrophysics (A&A) Board of Directors convened in Heraklion, Greece, on May 31st and June 1st, 2023, yielding a series of significant decisions that shape the journal's trajectory. As the governing body of A&A, the board addressed pivotal matters, including the formulation of enduring scientific strategies, the establishment of publication guidelines, the appointment of new Scientific Editors, and the endorsement of the journal budget for submission to the ESO Council. These actions reaffirm A&A's standing as a preeminent peer-reviewed journal in its field.
One of the prerogatives of the A&A Board is to authorize the inclusion of new Sponsoring Bodies, a role exercised with discernment. In 2023, the A&A Board unequivocally endorsed the applications forwarded by the Astronomical Society of Ireland and the Sociedad Uruguaya de Astronomía. The latter, in its initial overture, sought observer status. Consequently, the Republic of Ireland officially joined the ranks of A&A's member countries on July 1st, 2023, while Uruguay was accorded observer status commencing July 31, 2023.
The A&A Board of Directors extends a warm embrace to the astronomers from these newly affiliated member countries, offering them immediate access to publish their research in the Journal. The map illustrating the current geographic reach of A&A Agreement countries underscores the growing global interest in aligning with the Journal, amplifying its reach far beyond its European core membership.
Founded in 1968 as a platform for astronomers, A&A has maintained a trajectory of continuous growth and development. The journal currently holds a Q1 ranking by the Scimago Journal Ranking, boasting an impact factor of 6.5, according to the latest Journal Citation ReportsTM published by Clarivate in June 2022. A&A is recognized for publishing over 2,000 papers annually, authored by scientists from around the world. In 2022, it transitioned to an Open Access model under the Subscribe to Open framework. With unwavering support from subscribing libraries, A&A has operated as an open-access journal since 2022, eliminating page charges for first authors from sponsoring countries.
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