Prof. BAO Xinhe, Director of the Academic Works and Publishing Committee of the CAS Academic Divisions, delivered a welcome speech.

The International Symposium on the Construction and Development of S&T Journals was held in Beijing from June 17 to 18, 2025, bringing together global leaders in academic publishing to tackle key challenges in the field.

Hosted by the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the event drew nearly 200 participants—including CAS members, executives from top publishers like Cell Press, Springer Nature, and Elsevier, and representatives from academic institutions worldwide—to discuss strategies for elevating journal quality, accelerating digital transformation, and fostering global collaboration.

Against a backdrop of booming global research output and China's growing role in international science, the symposium focused on shifts reshaping scholarly publishing. Speakers emphasized the need for more efficient publishing processes, ethical standards, and reforms to academic evaluation systems that prioritize quality over quantity.

Leading voices shared insights on these transformations.

Arnout JACOBS, Springer Nature's Greater China President, highlighted three "seismic shifts" driving industry change: the accelerating move to open access and open science, heightened digital expectations from millennial and Gen Z researchers, and artificial intelligence (AI)'s potential to reimagine the research experience.

In response to these changes, Springer Nature has made attempts in academic publishing in recent years. One notable initiative is the development of their new unified platform, Springer Nature Link. This platform provides quick access to a comprehensive online collection of their journals, eBooks, reference works, and protocols across a wide range of subject disciplines.

Arnold PIPPEL, Senior Vice President for Customer Experience & Innovation at Elsevier, emphasized the importance of technology in publishing. He noted that innovative tools, such as intelligent platforms that streamline the submission, review, and publication processes, are vital for establishing a strong and efficient publishing system.

A notable example is the Science Bulletin, a multidisciplinary academic journal overseen by CAS. The Science Bulletin has effectively implemented a series of innovative technological reforms to promote high-quality and international development, achieving significant progress. Over the decade since 2015, the journal's Science Citation Index (SCI) impact factor has dramatically increased from 1.789 to 18.8. It now ranks 6th among 134 multidisciplinary journals, as highlighted by Prof. CHEN Fahu from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research at CAS, who is also a member of CAS.

Furthermore, when discussing technology, AI has become an unavoidable topic. Many speakers express a positive outlook on this technology, viewing it as an opportunity to advance the academic publishing industry. CAS member Prof. ZHU Yongguan, from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences at CAS, emphasized that AI will play a crucial role in integrating knowledge from numerous publications. However, he also highlighted the importance of improving research assessment methods to prioritize quality over quantity.

The symposium not only addressed important issues in academic publishing but also emphasized the importance of communication and cooperation among attendees. Prof. BAO Xinhe urged participants to enhance exchanges and collaboration to create globally influential journals. He highlighted that the event showcased CAS's dedication to promoting open science, ethical publishing, and high-quality academic communication. These goals are vital for bridging gaps in international publishing and fostering future innovation.