Panel discussion on publishing research in Indigenous languages and keynote by Veli-Pekka Lehtola

The annual Science Publishing Days 2026 were held on 8–9 October 2026 at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi. This year’s theme, Space for Thinking, invited participants to reflect on the role of academic publishing in shaping science, knowledge production and society.

As part of the programme, our CoE organised a panel discussion on publishing research in Indigenous languages and hosted a keynote lecture by our collaborator Professor Emeritus Veli-Pekka Lehtola (University of Oulu).

Publishing Research in Indigenous Languages

Despite growing recognition of linguistic diversity in academia, scholarly publishing continues to be shaped largely by dominant-language journals, publication metrics and evaluation systems. As a result, publishing research in Indigenous languages remains challenging. Researchers often need to balance international visibility with the importance of producing and sharing knowledge in their own languages and for their own communities.

The panel discussion explored these structural challenges and how the conditions for publishing research in Indigenous languages, particularly Sámi languages, could be strengthened. Participants reflected on existing publishing outlets, future development needs, and the responsibilities of researchers, publishers, funders and higher education institutions in promoting multilingual scholarly communication. They also considered the opportunities that emerging language technologies may offer for smaller Indigenous languages.

The panel featured Petter Morottaja (University of Oulu), Kristiina Ojala (University of Helsinki) and Jarno Valkonen (University of Lapland). The discussion was chaired by Tiina Seppälä (University of Lapland).

Keynote Lecture: Tiede, tieto ja tarina

Following the panel, Professor Emeritus Veli-Pekka Lehtola delivered a keynote lecture entitled Tiede, tieto ja tarina (”Science, Knowledge and Story”). Drawing on Sámi perspectives, Lehtola examined the relationships between science, knowledge and storytelling, highlighting the ways in which stories can be understood as forms of experiential history and knowledge transmission. The lecture broadened discussions on scientific publishing by emphasising the diversity of knowledge traditions and the multiple ways in which knowledge can be communicated and preserved.

About the Event

The Science Publishing Days 2026 were organised by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies (TSV), the Finnish Association for Scholarly Publishing, and the University of Lapland. More information is available on the event website.

📸 Photos: Riikka Homanen, Tiina Seppälä