Open Journals Hub Journal Participation Guidelines

The Open Journals Hub (OJH) is a collaborative Diamond Open Access (OA) platform led by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Library. It aims to amplify multilingual scholarship and enhance bibliodiversity by providing a high-quality publishing platform for peer-reviewed journals. To amplify our mission, we invite high-quality academic journals, especially for those relevant to studies of the Greater Bay Area to join our initiative.

Benefits of Participation

Participating journals will benefit from:

· Backend Journal Submission System: Access to a dedicated backend system for managing manuscript submissions and conducting the editorial process, streamlining workflows for editors, authors, and reviewers.

· Increased Visibility: Inclusion in the OJH platform will enhance global discoverability through indexing in open access repositories and academic databases.

· Technical Support: Guidance on adopting best practices for Diamond OA publishing, including metadata creation and platform integration.

· Collaborative Network: Access to a growing community of OA journals and the opportunity to share resources and expertise.

 

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for participation in the OJH, journals must meet the following requirements:

1. Subject Scope

The journal should focus on one or more of the following disciplines:

· Arts and Humanities

· Social Sciences

· Law, architecture, and traditional Chinese medicine

· Inter-disciplinary studies and area studies

Journals affiliated with academic institutions, research organizations, or those addressing topics relevant to the Greater Bay Area are especially encouraged to apply.

2. Language of Publication

OJH supports journals that publish in the following languages:

· Chinese (Traditional or Simplified)

· English

· Bilingual (English / Chinese)

3. Peer-Reviewed Content

All articles published in the journal must undergo a transparent and rigorous peer-review process to ensure academic quality and integrity.

4. Diamond Open Access

Journals must adhere to the Diamond Open Access model, which ensures:

· No fees for authors (no article processing charges or submission fees).

· Free and unrestricted access for readers.

Journals must publish content under an open license, such as a Creative Commons license, allowing free reuse with appropriate attribution.

5. Publication Frequency

The journal should have a consistent publication schedule (e.g., yearly, biannual, or quarterly) and demonstrate a commitment to regular and timely issue releases.

6. Indexing in Reputable Databases

While not mandatory, journals indexed in established citation or abstract databases will receive additional consideration. These include, but are not limited to:

· AHCI (Arts and Humanities Citation Index)

· CSSCI (Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index)

· Scopus

· SSCI (Social Science Citation Index)

· THCI (Taiwan Humanities Citation Index)

· Other reputable regional or international indexing platforms

 

Quality Assurance

To ensure the highest standards of academic publishing, all participating journals are subject to review and approval by the OJH Steering Committee. The Steering Committee oversees quality assurance and evaluates applications based on the following:

1. Editorial Practices

· The journal must have a clearly defined editorial board with renowned scholars in the relevant subject areas.

· Editorial policies, including the peer-review process, ethical guidelines, and conflict-of-interest policies, must be publicly available.

· The journal must comply with the standards and principles set by COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association), and DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals).

2. Content Quality

· Published articles must meet high academic standards and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their respective fields.

3. Transparency and Governance

· Journals must demonstrate transparency in their operations, including clear information about their ownership, funding sources, and editorial independence.

4. Technical Standards

· Journals must comply with best practices for discoverability and accessibility, including:

· Providing metadata for indexing in relevant discovery systems.

· Using persistent identifiers such as DOIs for articles.

· Ensuring compatibility with open standards for archiving and preservation.

 

Application Process

If your journal meets the eligibility criteria and you are interested in joining the Open Journals Hub, please get in touch with us at openjournalshub@cuhk.edu.hk.