Karger Publishers recognizes the important role of experienced peer reviewers in training the next generation of reviewers. From July 2025, Karger Reviewers have the option to invite a colleague to co-review a manuscript via our submission system and co-reviewers receive the same acknowledgment for their contribution.

The Co-review function is fully integrated into the submission system and formalizes the practice of involving students or less experienced colleagues in the review process, adding transparency and accountability.

How Does Co-reviewing at Karger Work?

• When an invited reviewer wishes to involve a colleague, they will be prompted to add the co-reviewer’s information in the system.
• The process is fully integrated and supported by a series of communications sent to both the reviewer and the co-reviewer.
• Editors will see the annotation of the inclusion of a co-reviewer on both the reviewer list and the review report.

Responsibilities of Reviewers:

• Reviewers who opt for co-review agree to act as mentors for the co-reviewer during their assessment.
• They are responsible for evaluating the expertise and publishing experience of the co-reviewer.
• They must also ensure that the co-reviewer’s contributions are appropriate, relevant, and adhere to the Karger’s guidelines for reviewers link , including Conflict of Interest policies.

Benefits for Co-reviewers:

• Upon submission of the joint review, the co-reviewer will be able to claim acknowledgment for their contribution via the peer review platform.
• They will be included in the distribution of the decision letter, providing a complete overview of the peer review process.
• Co-reviewers can build a history of review with the journal and, with enough experience, join the reviewer database over time.

So next time you receive an informal co-review request, if the manuscript is submitted to a Karger Journal you may remind the reviewer they could easily formalize your activity.