Introduction

Background

The Indonesian government, through the Directorate General of Higher Education (DGHE), has developed strategies to enhance the quality of higher education institutions, aiming for world-class university status. These strategies include increasing the number of publications by lecturers, particularly in journals [1]. Since 2018, the DGHE has implemented policies to boost both the quantity and quality of journals published by Indonesian institutions and publishers, ensuring broad coverage [2]. The DGHE evaluates the quality of journal management and the articles they publish through the national journal accreditation system, Akreditasi Jurnal Nasional (ARJUNA; https://arjuna.kemdikbud.go.id/). Journals that achieve accreditation are then indexed in the Science and Technology Index (SINTA) database (https://sinta.kemdikbud.go.id/journals) [3].

This policy was reinforced in 2021 with a focus on improving the quality of journals for internationalization and inclusion in global databases such as Scopus and Web of Science [4]. As a result, the number of Indonesian journals has continued to increase. Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA), the primary portal for indexing Indonesian journals, has amassed a collection of 22,376 journals as of September 2024. The vast majority, if not all, of these journals are open access. Furthermore, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) has indexed 2,398 Indonesian journals in 2024, marking a significant rise from 1,508 journals in 2019 [5]. This growth has positioned Indonesia as the leading publisher in the DOAJ [6].

Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a crucial role in the development of Indonesian journals [7]. Shabrina et al. [8], while comparing the Indonesian and Korean journal evaluation systems, noted that most publishers are HEIs. The primary development objectives for these journals include achieving accreditation in SINTA and securing international indexing in Scopus, which are considered key performance indicators (KPIs) for universities by the DGHE, particularly for state universities [9]. Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) is among the leading HEI journal publishers in Indonesia [10].

Objectives

This study investigated the promotion of university journals published by UNDIP, which has overseen 178 journals across 13 faculties from 2018 to 2024. Specifically, it analyzed four key indicators: the number of journals accredited by ARJUNA, the accreditation rank of journals in SINTA, the number of journals indexed in Scopus, and the number of abstract views and article downloads.

Methods

Ethics statement

This study did not involve human or animal subjects; therefore, it did not require institutional review board approval and informed consent.

Study design

This was a literature database-based descriptive study.

Study setting

The authors conducted a search of literature databases, including SINTA and Scopus, to assess the annual indexing status of university journals published by UNDIP from 2018 to 2024 as of November 2024. Additionally, they tracked the number of hits and downloads these journals received on their web server, as well as the countries of origin of the visitors.

Data sources

This study applied and evaluated a journal management model and system at UNDIP. UNDIP oversees 178 active journals spanning 13 faculties and schools, which include law, economics and business, cultural sciences and humanities, social and political sciences, medicine, public health, fisheries and marine sciences, agriculture and animal husbandry, psychology, engineering, and science and mathematics, as well as postgraduate and vocational schools. All journals operate on a web system based on the Public Knowledge Project’s Open Journal Systems (OJS). To track web traffic to the journals, we utilize the OJS usageStats plugin, which effectively filters out bots and crawlers.

Measurement

The authors evaluated the UNDIP journals by analyzing four key indicators: first, the number of journals accredited for the first time and their growth from 2018 to 2024, as a result of the mentoring program for new accreditation; second, the increase in journals that either maintained their rank or were promoted, as an outcome of the reaccreditation mentoring program; third, the number of journals successfully indexed by Scopus and their growth; and fourth, the number of abstract views and article downloads, along with the diversity of visitor countries, which reflects the reliability and resilience of the journal’s infrastructure and web systems in supporting all journal operations and governance. In 2024, we also profiled journals based on their publishers or faculties to identify those that are active, accredited or indexed, and those under assessment for accreditation or Scopus inclusion. This profiling helps us devise more effective strategies for the following year.

Results

Table 1 displays the cumulative number of journals published by faculties/units at UNDIP from 2018 to 2024. By 2024, UNDIP had published 178 active journals. The number of journals rose from 136 in 2018, reflecting an average annual increase of 7 journals. The Faculty of Engineering experienced the most significant growth, averaging approximately 1.17 new journals per year.

Table 2 illustrates the targets and achievements of the mentoring program designed to meet UNDIP’s KPIs for publishing scientific journals since 2018. These indicators include the number of accredited and Scopus-indexed journals. The performance of accredited journals is further detailed according to their rankings from grade S1 to S6. Targets are progressively set based on the achievements of the previous year, which serve as the baseline. Annually, the number of accredited journals increased by 9.33, while the number of Scopus-indexed international journals increased by 0.83. The most significant growth occurred in journals ranked grades S3 and S4, which increased by 3 and 2.67 journals, respectively.

Table 3 presents the profiles of UNDIP journals categorized by their publishing units for the year 2024. The units with the highest number of accredited journals are the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Humanities, holding 20.2% and 11.5% of the total 104 accredited journals, respectively. The Faculty of Engineering also leads as the primary publisher of Scopus-indexed journals, accounting for 28.6% of the 7 journals in this category. Out of 178 active journals, only 58.4% were accredited, and a mere 3.9% were indexed in Scopus.

The ability of a journal website to consistently handle reader requests for viewing abstracts and downloading full-text articles is a key indicator of the server’s reliability and resilience. Fig. 1 illustrates the performance of the journal website from 2018 to 2024, showing increases in abstract views and article downloads that correspond with the rising number of articles published in the journal. Annually, abstract views and article downloads increased by 4.06 million and 4.73 million, respectively. Overall, the total cumulative growth in abstract views and article downloads reached 47.14 million per year.

From 2018 to 2024, visitors from over 240 countries accessed our site, with Indonesia accounting for 72.4% of the traffic and the remaining 27.6% coming from other countries. This shows the wide visibility of articles and abstract pages, as depicted in Fig. 2.

Discussion

Journal mentoring programs improve the university’s KPI achievement

Universities develop strategies and programs aimed at increasing the number of accredited and Scopus-indexed journals to meet the annual KPIs set by the DGHE. This study demonstrates that mentoring programs organized by universities for journal managers and editors within their publishing units can enhance the achievement of these university KPIs. The mentoring program implemented at UNDIP led to KPI achievements of 106.5% for accredited journals and 112.2% for Scopus-indexed journals between 2018 and 2024 (Table 2). These results are consistent with the outcomes of the mentoring program at the Universitas Airlangga [11].

The mentoring program aims to improve the quality of journal governance and the content of published articles, ensuring they meet accreditation and international indexation standards as outlined in the accreditation guidelines [2,4]. UNDIP organizes three specific mentoring programs: first-time accreditation, reaccreditation, and Scopus indexation. The first-time accreditation mentoring has successfully increased the number of accredited journals to 104 by 2024, with an average annual growth of 7 journals since 2018 (Table 2). These journals typically achieve an S3 or S4 grade. Despite this progress, 74 journals, which represent 41.6% of the 178 active journals across all faculties, still require an accreditation grade (Table 3). Therefore, we recommend the continuation of this program in the upcoming years. Reaccreditation mentoring is crucial as journal accreditation is valid for only 5 years, necessitating re-submission before expiration. This program has effectively helped most journals either maintain or improve their rankings, particularly achieving grades S1 through S3. Additionally, it helps prevent any potential downgrades in journal rankings. The journal internationalization mentoring has led to an increase in the number of Scopus-indexed journals to 7, with an average growth rate of 0.83 journals per year.

Outstanding and sustainable journal operation needs reliable websites and their supporting infrastructure

UNDIP journals utilize OJS, and all their articles are open access. Effective web server management and proper security configurations are essential to ensure that journals operate continuously and that access to their articles remains uninterrupted. The metrics of abstract views, article downloads, and their growth rates serve as indicators of the system’s reliability and resilience. Annually, the cumulative number of abstract views and article downloads has increased by 47.14 million, as shown in Fig. 1, confirming the reliability of the journal websites and their infrastructure. The system’s capacity to handle requests for abstract views and article downloads is also on the rise, with annual increases of 4.06 million and 4.73 million, respectively, demonstrating its resilience against more frequent requests. Visitors from over 240 countries have accessed the journals, with Indonesia accounting for 72.4% and other countries for 27.6%, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This wide geographic distribution of visitors enhances the visibility of articles and abstract pages. Furthermore, there is a tendency for increased visibility of articles to correlate with higher citation counts and impacts [12], as well as a diversity of citation sources [13]. Therefore, maintaining reliable journal websites and robust infrastructure is crucial for smooth journal operations, expanding reach to more authors, sustaining article visibility, and enhancing the journal’s impact. This supports the achievement of the university’s KPIs.

Limitations

The analysis of the journal development model in this study is based on the perspective and data of journal management at UNDIP. Additionally, the targets for KPIs related to the number of accredited and Scopus-indexed journals may vary for each university, depending on the type of institution and their agreement with DGHE. UNDIP is among the 24 state universities in Indonesia that have legal status.

Proposal of a sustainable development model for university journal publishing

The proposed sustainable development model for university journals, especially at UNDIP, is shown in Fig. 3. The model identifies two key actors. The first is the information technology (IT) team, responsible for installing and configuring the servers, networks, and additional support systems essential for electronic journals, including the domain name system (DNS), email, file storage, backup, and system security. Proper configuration is crucial to ensure that the journal system provides a dependable infrastructure to support all journal operations. The second participant is the journal manager and editor, who are associated with the faculties and their respective subcoordinate units, acting as publishers of the journals. The journal manager oversees the journal website, while the editor manages the manuscripts submitted to the journal. The successful application of this model at UNDIP offers hope and optimism for other universities encountering similar challenges.

Conclusions

The above results have identified key actors and their roles in the management and development of university journals, leading to strategies and programs that achieve KPIs targets. The mentoring programs have successfully increased the number of accredited and Scopus-indexed journals, maintaining or enhancing their rankings. Additionally, consistent server and network management along with website development programs have ensured the reliable and sustainable operation of these journals.

Notes

Conflict of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Funding

This study was supported by the 2024 Strategic Research Scheme with the Dean’s Decree of the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro (No. 1/UN7.F3/HK/V/2024).

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for openly providing metadata of the Indonesian publishers and journals on Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA) and the Science and Technology Index (SINTA); the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) for providing the necessary metadata for this study; the Institute for Research and Community Services, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia, for providing the primary data for this study; and Professor Istadi from the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia, for his valuable suggestions in developing the Universitas Diponegoro online journals.

Data Availability

Data analyzed in this study are available from Universitas Diponegoro E-Journal Systems (UEJS) at https://ejournal.undip.ac.id.

Supplementary Materials

Fig. 1.

The growth of abstract views and article downloads on journal websites from 2018 to 2024.

Fig. 2.

Visitor country of origin for abstract views and article downloads on journal websites.

Fig. 3.

Sustainable journal development model for universities: the actors, their roles, and the main programs. OJS, Open Journal Systems; CSS, cascading style sheets; DOAJ, Directory of Open Access Journals; ARJUNA, Akreditasi Jurnal Nasional; DNS, domain name system; OS, operating system; PHP, hypertext preprocessor.

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Figure & Data

References

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