Abstract
This paper details the lessons learned in the process of setting up a new open access (OA) journal from scratch. The Journal of the European Honors Council (JEHC) was started in 2016, published its first issue in 2017, and is currently publishing its fifth issue. The development of JEHC is described in four phases: lead-up to the first idea (2015-2016), from first idea to first issue (2016-2017), professionalization (2017-2018), and increasing impact (2018-). Ten lessons learnt are detailed: (1) do a realistic needs assessment; (2) involve committed people with skills, passion, and time; (3) provide a low-barrier publication option; (4) identify and pick ‘low-hanging fruit’; (5) get your basics organized; (6) invest time in technical knowledge; (7) professionalize in phases; (8) be transparent, open, and personal; (9) try to avoid monetary transactions as much as possible; and (10) printing can help. The main piece of advice to others wishing to start an OA journal is: inform yourself well before you start, but do not be afraid to learn along the way.
Highlights
The Journal of the European Honors Council (JEHC) is a young open access journal, which was started in 2016 and published its first issue in 2017
A slow move towards support of open access and the more broadly-defined open science is visible in recent years
Case description: developing the journal in four phases we describe how the Journal of the European Honors Council (JEHC) was developed: from the context in which the first idea emerged to the situation at the time of writing, with publication of the fifth issue in progress
Summary
The Journal of the European Honors Council (JEHC) is a young open access journal, which was started in 2016 and published its first issue in 2017. Main tasks were to set up an Editorial Board, decide on the types of contributions for the journal, set up a peer review process, develop a publication template, and set up a basic website Key resources in this process were made available through the Research Center for Talent Development in Higher Education and Society at Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen (Hanze). The Editorial Board was first set up with four members who had been involved in the peer review process for the Utrecht conference: the EHC Secretary and President, as well as two recently retired experts on honors education, who were a professor and a senior researcher. In the four complete issues published at the time of writing, three out of every four contributions turn out to be notes (see table 1)
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