How to publish at the University of Deusto

The University of Deusto Publications Department is in charge of publishing research work by the members of the university community as well as a mix of other articles, etc. or educational material. The service looks to manage university book production and promote its dissemination.

What the Publications Department does

This department publishes works of scientific interest which contribute to specific fields of knowledge, particularly focusing on research areas which are officially recognised by the University of Deusto. In exceptional cases, the department publishes other scholarly texts, depending on the significance the work is judged to hold for the field.

The University of Deusto list of publications includes the General Series, publications from institutes and centres and journals. The General Series consists of the publications catalogue covering the following fields: Legal Sciences, Engineering, the Arts, Social Sciences, the Humanities, Theology, Economics and Business Administration.

With a view to fulfilling its objectives and the research and dissemination aims defined by the university, Deusto’s publications are released in paper and e-book format. Most of the current list is in electronic format except for certain titles whose special features require that the works be published in paper format. There are also publications grouped in the Maior series which are only available in e-book format although physical copies can always be obtained through print on demand.

Who can publish at Deusto

Author- or authors in cases of group works- who wish to publish at Deusto must be associated with the university in some way. However, authors whose work is judged to be of interest to the research areas pursued at the University of Deusto may also be eligible.

Co-publishing with other institutions or private publishers is also possible, provided their objectives contribute the University of Deusto Project and meet the quality standards.

The Publications Department was awarded the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Certification in November 2009.

The Publications Board: what it is and how it works

The Publications Board supports the department by supervising and guaranteeing the scientific quality of the university’s publications. It cooperates by applying the UD’s publishing strategies and criteria at its two campuses and makes decisions on the publication of texts for the University of Deusto’s various lists. The board is formed by a minimum of six and no more than eight members as follow:

• The vice-rector in charge of the field of research concerned, or person to whom this task has been delegated, who will chair the board.
• Between four and six full professors named by the rector, upon proposal of the vice-rector. Criteria to ensure competence to fulfil this position, fair representation of the university’s specialist fields and language diversity will be taken into account.
• The head of the Publications Department will act as secretary of the board.

Meetings will be held every two months, from October to June. However, the chair may convene a meeting at any time the circumstances warrant it.

The Publications Board will assess the scientific interest of the original work and determine, if applicable, the most suitable publishing format, basing its decision on the subject and specific content, the formal aspects of the presentation, the target readers and foreseen dissemination. It will therefore collect the reports its considers appropriate or consult professionals and experts capable of giving substantiated opinions on the quality of the work and the advisability of publishing it.

Dissemination channels

In order to ensure dissemination of its publications, the University of Deusto Publications Department takes part in leading Spanish and international digital platforms, thus making it possible to reach different audiences/readership and keep up with the latest tendencies in marketing publications.

It has also implemented Deusto Open Books to familiarise the public with the general content of its scientific and academic works, making access to various thematic series quick and easy through the webpage. This service allows readers to consult, cite and make known information about the references included in this section. Titles from the following series are currently stored at Deusto Open Books: Tuning, HumanitarianNet, Deusto Forum, Cuadernos Penales José María Lidón, Migraciones Internacionales, Ayuda Humanitaria y Desarrollo, Cuadernos de Derechos Humanos, Orkestra, Cuadernos Europeos de Deusto, Estudios de Deusto, etc.

Ediciones Mensajero, founded in 1915 by the Society of Jesus, has a broad commercial network and handles distribution of the UD Publications Department’s output. Its widespread network in Spain and Latin America makes it possible to reach a large number of readers in Spanish. Fotocomposición Ipar, S. Coop., a firm started over 35 years ago, is in charge of the marketing on digital platforms.

Steps to publish at the University of Deusto

Authors wishing to publish at the University of Deusto may place a request in compliance with the rules set by the Publications Department.

A hard and an electronic copy (preferably in Word) of the original work must be submitted. Texts must be carefully proofread, revised and easy to read. No typing or spelling errors will be accepted, in compliance with the publishing criteria set by the Publications Department. Certain regulations and guidelines apply for presentation of the original texts in order to facilitate scientific assessment.

A letter justifying the significance of the work and the Author’s (and contributing authors’, etc.) statement of publication must be submitted with the original work.

The Publications Department will study the feasibility of the proposal, taking into account its thematic field, other projects by the author and prospects. The copy is then submitted to the Publications Board for assessment. If further expert opinions are required, the work will undergo external peer review. Professionals and experts will give their opinions on the quality of the work and the suitability of publishing it. The author or authors’ identity will be kept confidential throughout this process.

Once the work has been approved by the Publications Board, the production stage starts. The Publications Department sets the terms of publication and offers the author(s) the required contract documents.

Intellectual property rights will be set down in the contracts signed, in compliance with current legislation on Intellectual Property (Royal Legislative Decree 1/1996 of 12 April).