On 8 December 2025, Mercator Fellow Prof. Hyung-Gu Lynn, PhD, conducted an online publishing workshop for the first cohort of the Research Training Group. Owing to a tight schedule in October and the RTG’s international workshops in November, the event took place nearly two months after Prof. Lynn’s annual visit to Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) and the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE).

Drawing on his extensive experience as an academic editor of more than sixteen years, Prof. Lynn offered valuable insights into the publication process, tailored to the diverse disciplinary backgrounds of the participants. The workshop addressed both challenges and opportunities in academic publishing and fostered a stimulating dialogue with the group. Emphasising professionalism, scholarly sensibility, and realistic expectation management, Prof. Lynn encouraged participants to find their own way as researchers.

A key takeaway of the workshop was the understanding that readiness for submission does not mean knowing everything. As Prof. Lynn noted, ‘a scholar is never ready’. He highlighted that publishing requires not only the ability to engage constructively with criticism, but also patience with the often lengthy and demanding review process.

Participants found the workshop both timely and inspiring. Youlim Kim, who had submitted her dissertation just days before the event, described the workshop as highly helpful, while Igor Sevenard emphasised its relevance at this stage of his academic work.

The Research Training Group warmly thanks Prof. Hyung-Gu Lynn for his time and encouragement, and for sharing his experience in such an open and engaging manner with the cohort.