MSPL Organisational Structure

About Michelangelo Scholar Publish Limited

MICHELANGELO SCHOLAR PUBLISH LIMITED (MSPL) was registered in Hong Kong on January 17th, 2023. MSPL is an Open Access（OA）academic publishing platform for designers and related researchers. MSPL is mainly engaged in the publication of international journals in English and cultural exchange, is dedicated to design, architecture, and art research, and is striving to achieve global leadership in these fields. MSPL's subordinate journals now include the following three: the Journal of Design Service and Social Innovation (JDSSI), the Journal of Ancient Chinese Arts and Crafts (JACAC), and the Journal of Architecture and Urban Design (JAUD), which reflect the latest research in their fields and are accessible worldwide in print and online. In addition, MSPL provides a waiver on Article Processing Charges (APCs) for all authors.

MSPL will comply with the principles of transparency and best practice of academic publications established by organizations such as The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), DOAJ, the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). The transparency and best practice principles of academic publishing apply to all published content in MSPL journals and transparently communicate the academic evaluation and publication procedures followed by the journals.

MSPL is committed to the principle of open access and has a responsibility to promote the accessibility, diversity, fairness, and inclusivity of the journal articles on our website, thereby promoting social progress and cultural diversity. The editors of MSPL journals will also adhere to the basic principles of academic ethics and academic values first and will handle manuscripts based on academic standards and a neutral attitude. The editors will not be influenced by the source of the manuscript, including the nationality, ethnicity, political beliefs, race, or religion of the authors. MSPL is committed to building a digital scholarly community with a high reputation and equality. MSPL does not collaborate with any for-profit companies, in order to avoid the phenomenon of academic research being manipulated.

MSPL implements a dual-track system, which means that the administrative affairs and scholarly publishing implement parallel policies. Specifically, the administrative affairs are managed and decided by the Management Committee, while scholarly publishing is managed and decided by the Scholarly Standing Committee. Therefore, there is no subordinate relationship between these two management systems, and their purpose is to ensure that the scholarly quality of MSPL is not affected by administrative management. This also means that MSPL believes in the dissemination of scholarly research and innovative ideas based on the basic principles of fairness and justice.

The management committee of MSPL is not only responsible for organizing and managing operations but also for raising funds for academic journals through means such as academic speech and writing workshops. Currently, the funding for the operation of MSPL mainly comes from three channels: self-funding support from the founder, expert funding support from academia, and academic speech event fundraising. The management committee is led by Professor Min Wang, who is the founder of MSPL and the editor-in-chief of JDSSI. 

In the organisational structure, scholarly activities are a standing part aimed at bringing together international design experts to share research results and experiences. Among them, the annual International Design Forum is an event organized by MSPL to select outstanding design researchers and practitioners for the international academic community. This activity implements strict academic admission standards and limits the size of participants to avoid becoming a commercialized activity in the name of academic exchange.

At any time, MSPL will not implement a commercial operating model, and as an independent academic publisher, it will not accept funding from any institution for commercial purposes. Not only that, MSPL also attempts to avoid any political claims or biases interfering with academic research activities. The goal of MSPL is to adhere to the norms and social ethics of scholarly publishing and to strive to become a leading international institution in scholarly publishing.