Strategies for Developing Chinese University Journals through a Comparison to Western Academic Journal Publishing

The long-term prevalence of China's old planned economy, a socialist economic plan instituted between 1949 and 1978, has created inefficient management, low competitiveness and poor marketing for Chinese university journals, which has lead to the necessity and urgency of university journal reform. After comparing the publishing model of Chinese university journals with western academic journals and analyzing the Chinese government's requirements for university journal reform, the author examines and summarizes the experiences of western academic journal publishing practices and integrates these experiences with the current framework of Chinese academic publishing. Suggestions include introducing a competition system, improving and better applying a peer review system, developing a university journal publishing group, applying open access publishing models, and enhancing business consciousness for further development of Chinese university journals.

► The history of Chinese university journals is introduced. ► The publishing of Chinese university journal & western academic journal are compared. ► China’s publishing system reform, including university journal reform is introduced. ► Experiences of western academic journal publishing practices are summarized. ► Some suggestions are offered for further development of Chinese university journals.