A new system for evaluating academic journals in medicine and life sciences, developed by Chinese researchers, was unveiled in Shanghai on March 21, offering an alternative to the widely used Journal Impact Factor (JIF). The initiative, spearheaded by Shenzhen-based data technology firm Dongbi Data in collaboration with the Institute of Medical Information &. Library, an affiliate of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, introduces two new index lists encompassing 4,027 medical journals and 3,064 life-science journals selected from a pool of over 40,000 worldwide.
The Dongbi Index, as the new methodology is known, aims to provide a “multidimensional, multilevel evaluation system centred on research quality,” according to Wu Dengsheng, founder of Dongbi Data and a professor at Shenzhen University’s college of management. This development arrives as China increasingly seeks to assert its influence in global academic publishing and research assessment.
The unveiling of the Dongbi Index comes amid growing criticism of the JIF, a metric created by Clarivate Analytics, for its susceptibility to manipulation and its potential to undervalue research in certain fields. Concerns have been raised that the JIF prioritizes citation counts over the actual quality and impact of research, leading to a focus on publishing in high-impact journals rather than conducting rigorous and meaningful studies.
Data released alongside the index reveals the growing prominence of Chinese research in the life sciences. The analysis indicates that Chinese researchers contributed nearly one-third of all globally published academic papers in the field. This substantial output underscores China’s increasing investment in scientific research and its ambition to become a global leader in innovation.
Experts view the Dongbi Index as part of a broader strategy by China to strengthen its “academic discourse power,” a term frequently used by Chinese officials to describe the country’s efforts to shape global narratives and standards in academia. This push includes increased funding for research, the establishment of world-class universities, and the promotion of Chinese journals and researchers on the international stage.
The methodology behind the Dongbi Index has not been fully disclosed, but Dongbi Data has stated it incorporates a range of factors beyond simple citation counts, including article quality, author reputation, and the journal’s editorial standards. Further details regarding the weighting of these factors are expected to be released in subsequent publications.
The introduction of the Dongbi Index is likely to be met with both interest and skepticism from the international academic community. While some may welcome a new alternative to the JIF, others may question the objectivity and transparency of a ranking system developed by a Chinese entity. The long-term impact of the index remains to be seen, but it represents a significant challenge to the established order of academic journal evaluation.
Clarivate Analytics, the company behind the JIF, has not yet issued a formal response to the launch of the Dongbi Index. The company continues to defend the JIF as a valuable tool for assessing journal influence, while also acknowledging the need for ongoing improvements to research evaluation metrics.
