As part of Peer Review Week 2026, EASE Türkiye organized two online events under the theme “Peer Review Capacity: Volume, Speed, and Quality.” The sessions brought together researchers, reviewers, editors, and other stakeholders in scholarly publishing to discuss inclusivity, sustainability, and quality in peer review. A total of 193 participants attended across both events.
The first event, Inclusive and Sustainable Peer Review, held on September 14, drew 116 participants. Assoc. Prof. Dr. İmran Gökçen Yılmaz Karaman presented on sex and gender inclusivity in peer review, referencing the SAGER Guidelines and highlighting issues reviewers should consider when evaluating sex‑ and gender‑related aspects of research. She also noted potential imbalances in reviewer selection. Asst. Prof. Dr. Simge Uzman Özbek shared findings from her research on early‑career researchers, outlining challenges to their participation and ways to strengthen their involvement. The presentations were followed by a Q&A session where participants discussed how reviewers could be better supported and recognized within an increasingly demanding system.
The second event, Improving the Quality of Peer Review in Türkiye: Challenges and Solutions, was held on September 16 as a roundtable with 77 participants. Discussions focused on reviewer training and certification, recognition and incentives, the role of editors and journals, reviewer selection, and the contribution of national indexing and evaluation systems to peer review quality. Participants raised questions about national support and training mechanisms, including the roles of ULAKBİM, TR Dizin, professional associations, and journals. They also discussed recognition of reviewer contributions based on quality rather than quantity, training opportunities for early‑career researchers through doctoral education or fellowship programs, and ways to strengthen editor–reviewer relationships.
The roundtable additionally addressed emerging challenges related to artificial intelligence in peer review, including confidentiality, intellectual property, transparency in AI‑assisted reports, and the need for clearer guidance for reviewers and journals. Other topics included open peer review, preprints, reviewer recognition through ORCID, alternative peer‑review models, and the sustainability of reviewer labor in APC‑based publishing.
Taken together, the two events offered complementary perspectives: the first examined inclusivity and sustainability in peer review participation, while the second focused on systemic improvements in quality and responses to emerging challenges. The discussions reflected strong engagement from Türkiye’s scholarly publishing community and identified areas for further dialogue, training, and collaboration.
Bahar Pancaroglu, Vice Chair of EASE Türkiye, emphasized that the events demonstrated the community’s commitment to advancing peer review practices.
Click here to read the original press release.
