Do You Want a Seat at the Top Table? This Global Editorial Board Seat Is Your Fast Track to Senior Academic Leadership
Academic publishing is changing quickly. With more manuscripts being submitted and a rise in AI-generated content, journals are working hard to maintain high standards. Now, the focus is not only on reviewing papers but also on shaping research integrity, diversity, and the use of new technology for the future.
While fully funded student models, such as the 2026 SANRAL Scholarship Program, remove local financial barriers for the next generation, Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad offers a direct path to global leadership in research.
The journal is now accepting applications from around the world for Assistant Editor positions on its Editorial Board for 2026. If you are an early-career researcher or an experienced professional in global education, this three-year volunteer role allows you to help guide important discussions on student mobility and intercultural learning.
Why This Board Seat Matters For Your Academic CV
Peer review often feels like a task that goes unnoticed. However, this Assistant Editor role is different because it is not just about reviewing papers. It is a clear path toward taking on senior leadership roles in academic journal management.
Joining the Frontiers board offers you several professional benefits:
- Strategic Voice: You will participate in annual Editorial Board meetings and help develop policies on the use of artificial intelligence, ensuring fairness in open access and supporting decolonization in international education.
- Manageable, Flexible Workload: The journal understands you have other commitments. You will review no more than four manuscripts each year, and you can choose to accept or decline review requests depending on your schedule.
- Promotion Pipeline: The position lasts for three years and can be renewed up to two times. After your first term, you will be considered quickly for Associate Editor leadership roles.
Priority Target Areas: What the Journal is Hunting For
Frontiers is growing its board to better address new and complex research topics. While all interdisciplinary approaches to study abroad are welcome, the selection panel is especially looking for applicants with strong expertise in these key areas:
- Emerging Technologies: The intersection of generative AI and automated translation systems within virtual and blended international education.
- Methodological Mastery: Scholars who are skilled in quantitative research, big data analysis, and advanced research methods.
- Niche Demographics: Practitioners who work with STEM study abroad programs, medical or health sciences education abroad, or business student mobility.
- Underrepresented Geographies: Research tracking destination trends and host communities. Underrepresented Geographies: Research that looks at trends and community impacts in less common regions, especially in Oceania, Southwest Asia, and North Africa. balance of academic rigor and field-tested reality, Frontiers has split its entry criteria into two distinct professional profiles:
Track 1: Early-Career Researchers
- You need to have completed your terminal degree (PhD, EdD, or similar) within the past one to seven years.
- You should have a clear record of scholarly work, such as published papers or contributions to study abroad research.
Track 2: Mid-Career Practitioners
- You need at least eight years of practical experience in international education.
- You must prove your commitment to reflective practice by providing copies of policy reports, institutional evaluation studies, or industry knowledge products you have authored or co-authored.
Step-by-Step Application Instructions
The selection committee wants to create a diverse board and strongly encourages professionals from community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and international institutions outside North America to apply.
To apply, send your materials by email
- Prepare your package: You need a clean, up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a tight, impactful cover letter of no more than 500 words that highlights your unique expertise.
- Submit directly: Email your completed package to the official editorial office at frontiersjournal@forumea.org.
- Format the subject line: Use the exact subject line “Assistant Editor Application” to clear their automated sorting filters.
The review panel will look at all applications during the summer. Official notifications and results will be sent out between late September and early October 2026.
