On March 28th, the 1st Symposium on High-quality Development of China’s Applied Journals and Launch Meeting of Evaluation Research Report (2025 Edition) on China’s Applied Journal was held in Wuhan.

With the theme of Facing Industrial Needs, Serving Application Innovation—Promoting the Integration of Industry, University, Research, and Application for Applied Journals in the Digital-Intelligent Era, the conference brought together more than 320 experts and scholars from education, publishing, and other communities. Haijiao Cui, Deputy Director of the China Academy of Press and Publication; Wei Lu, Vice President of Wuhan University; and Chunjiang Liu, Vice President of Wuhan University of Technology, attended the conference.

Haijiao Cui fully affirmed the evaluation work of China's applied journals. He pointed out that applied journals are transitioning from mere "knowledge disseminators" to "practice empowerers". During their development, they need to strengthen institutional management and content quality, deepen industry-university-research collaboration, and expand international communication channels to promote high-quality development.

Wei Lu emphasized that applied journals serve as a key bridge connecting academic innovation and social practice, as well as an important carrier for promoting the transformation of scientific research achievements and serving national strategic needs. Focusing on the high-quality development of China's applied journals, this symposium is highly aligned with national strategies, industry development, and the needs of the digital-intelligent era, carrying significant value and practical significance.

Chunjiang Liu proposed that the high-quality development of applied journals should be guided by national strategies to accurately meet industry needs; supported by digital-intelligent technologies to innovate service ecosystems; and tied by coordination mechanisms to jointly build evaluation standards.

During the certificate-awarding ceremony, Wei Lu and Chunjiang Liu presented certificates to representatives of outstanding review experts and delegates from authoritative and core journals selected in the Evaluation Research Report (2023 Edition) on China’s Applied Journal. The report identified 61 authoritative journals and 276 core journals, playing a vital role in promoting the development of the applied journals.

In the launch session of the Evaluation Research Report (2025 Edition) on China’s Applied Journal, Siluo Yang, Executive Director of the China Center for Science Evaluation at Wuhan University, systematically interpreted the compilation philosophy and methods of the new round of evaluation report. From the perspective of "five major needs," he expounded on the necessity and significance of conducting evaluations of applied journals, proposed the overall goal of building a "Chinese-characteristic, world-class" evaluation system for applied journals, and answered related questions. It is reported that the new report will focus on dimensions such as digital-intelligent technology, open environments, and industry services to build a more scientific and reasonable evaluation system, providing strong strategic guidance for industry transformation and upgrading and advancing China's applied journal evaluation to a new stage.

In the keynote session on the theme of Innovation and Practical Exploration in Applied Journals Evaluation, Zhixiong Zhang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China; Baodong Zhou, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Machinery Industry Information Institute and Machinery Industry Press; Lihua Bai, Director of the Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Service Technology in Digital Publishing; and Xiaoyang Hu, Researcher at the China Center for Science Evaluation of Wuhan University and Editor of the Journal of Hubei University, delivered speeches titled How Should China's Applied Journals Act in Facing of Open Academic Exchange Reform?, Exploration and Practice of High-quality Development of Applied Scientific and Technological Journals, Applied Journals: Conceptual Positioning, Misconception Correction, and Development Path, and Restoring the Due Smile of “Applied” Journals: Building a Diversified Journal Evaluation System Close to the Essence of Journal Services, respectively, to deeply discuss the development of China's applied journals and their evaluation work.

In the thematic session on Industry-University-Research-Application Integration and High-quality Development of Applied Journals, Mingtao Lu, Director of the Liaison Center for Vocational and Adult Higher Education Journal of the National Association of Liberal Arts Journals of Higher Learning Institutions and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of China University of Labor Relations; Saiping Liang, Director of the Committee for Vocational and Technical College Journals of the China Society for Scientific and Technical Journals of Universities and Colleges and Associate Editor of the Jiangsu Vocational Institute of Architectural Technology; Ying Li, Manager of the Digital Publishing Center of Tongfang Knowledge Network; Guoyou Wei, Professor and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Nanning Polytechnic; Qi Lu, Professor and Deputy Director of the Editorial Department of the Journal of Henan Institute of Science and Technology(Natural Science Edition); Huijun Zhao, Director of the Editorial Office of Zhuozhong Publishing Co., Ltd.; and Wentang Zheng, Director of the Editorial Department of Southern Energy Construction, delivered speeches themed Evaluation Leadership and Digital-intelligent Empowerment: Building a Two-way Bridge Between Content Production and Industrial Practice, Integration and Innovation of Industry-University-Research-Application: Practical Paths and Future Visions for Applied Journals, Large Model Empowers Innovative Development of Applied Journals, The Realistic Status of Applied Journals and the Construction of their Community, The Role and Value of Applied Journals in Achieving Transformation: A Case Study of the Journal of Henan Institute of Science and Technology(Natural Science Edition), Exploration and Practice of Industry Service Capability of Applied Journals: A Case Study of Zhuozhong Publishing, and Practice and Reflections on AI in Digital Publishing of Applied Journals, sharing theoretical understandings and excellent practical cases of applied journals.

In the panel discussion on Collaborative Development of Applied Journal Evaluation and Scientific Research Management, Baodong Zhou, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Machinery Industry Information Institute and Machinery Industry Press; Yanwen Duan, Secretary-General of the Publishing and Media Committee of the Democratic Progressive Central Committee and Deputy Secretary-General of the China Federation of Journalism and Technology Workers; Jianfeng Zhang, Deputy Director of Tianjin Science and Technology Publishing House; Zhonghou Liang, Vice President of Hunan University of Environment and Biology; Bingchang Han, Vice President of Puyang Vocational and Technical College; Hongzhen Lian, Vice President of Taiyuan Urban Vocational and Technical College; Nan Meng, Member of the Party Committee and Minister of the Propaganda Department of Beijing Vocational College of Labour and Social Security; Xiaorui Zhao, Assistant President of Wuchang University of Technology; Mingtao Lu, Director of the Liaison Center for Vocational College Journals of the National Association of Liberal Arts Journals of Higher Learning Institutions; Saiping Liang, Director of the Committee for Vocational and Technical College Journals of the China Society for Scientific and Technical Journals of Universities and Colleges; Lihua Bai, Director of the Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Service Technology in Digital Publishing; Mingkun Tong, Head of the Journal Department; and Siluo Yang, among others, engaged in cross-disciplinary dialogues. They deeply discussed the significance and value of China's applied journal evaluation work and its application in scientific research management and industry services, contributing insights to building an open, collaborative, and progressive development community for applied journals.

The 1st Symposium on High-quality Development of China’s Applied Journals and Launch Meeting of Evaluation Research Report (2025 Edition) on China’s Applied Journal was co-hosted by the China Center for Science Evaluation at Wuhan University and the Ministry of Education Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Service Technology in Digital Publishing at Wuhan University of Technology.