Reviewer Credits (RC), originally founded in Milan by Giacomo Bellani and Robert Fruscio as a spin off company of the University of Milan-Bicocca, is launching with a new team. Experienced entrepreneurs in scholarly publishing around Dr. Sven Fund have taken the helm at RC. Their goal is to make quality assurance through peer review in all scientific fields part of the academic record.
The time spent on peer review amounts to more than 63 million hours annually, according to industry estimates. This is not being reflected in the evaluations of scientists in the form of performance records. As a result, scholarly publishers fear diminishing commitment to this vital process.
“Peer review is a very important contribution of scientists to the publication process, and it is not adequately appreciated today,” said Dr. Sven Fund, Managing Director of RC. “Thanks to Reviewer Credits, peer reviewers of articles can now make their contribution visible as a part of their academic production.” At the same time, the company’s website allows publishers to reward this dedication to research – and to their own business. The credits, awarded transparently, can be used by scientists for science-related services and community service initiatives.
“We went through difficult times, but I am enthusiast and proud for this new structure of Reviewer Credits.” comments Giacomo Bellani, the venture’s founder. “Sven Fund is a great professional and I am positive that he and his team will be able to bring new life and success to our original idea.”
“Peer review integrity is more important than ever in the digital publishing process as we move into open science,” Fund continued. “Reviewer Credits creates transparency and helps keep the model attractive to scientists through targeted incentives.” The RC team is supported in its work by a high-level advisory board.
