• The number of scientific publications in Indonesia is growing very rapidly.
● The surge in the number of journal articles risks reducing the quality of reviews and triggering the practice of mass manuscript production.
● Academic integrity demands strict journal governance and a shift in focus from quantity to quality of research.
Over the past decade, Indonesia’s scientific publication ecosystem has grown rapidly, particularly in terms of quantity. Approximately 29,000 journals from 5,000 publishers are registered on the government’s reference and citation portal. Most of these publishers are universities that manage journals to disseminate research results.
The ISSN portal managed by the National Library also shows more than 7 thousand ISSN registrations per year in the 2020–2022 period.
This development is certainly commendable. More journals can expand the opportunities for researchers to publish their scientific findings.
However, some accredited journals now publish a significant number of articles annually, even reaching hundreds. The Scientific Journal of Unitary Management (JIMKES) , for example, published 560 articles in 2025 .
In general practice, many conventional scientific journals (especially at the national to mid-level) publish anywhere from dozens to around a hundred articles per year, depending on the number of issues and editorial capacity. When this number increases significantly without a corresponding strengthening of the review process, there is a risk of a decline in publication quality.
The scientific publication process is not instantaneous. A systematic review of biomedical journals showed that the time from manuscript submission to publication can range from a few months to nearly two years, with an average of hundreds of days. This variation reflects the complexity of the editorial process, from review by multiple reviewers to repeated revisions and the final editorial decision. Given this lengthy timeframe, a journal’s capacity to process high-quality articles is inherently limited (Andersen, Fonnes, & Rosenberg, 2021) .
When the volume of publications increases very rapidly
The increasing number of articles isn’t actually a problem, as long as the editorial process is rigorous and transparent. Many journals are increasing the number of articles published due to the increasing number of manuscripts received and increased research activity .
However, if the publication volume increases significantly in a short time: is the capacity of the journal’s editorial system sufficient?
The peer review process is the foundation of quality scientific publications. Each article undergoes a thorough assessment by experts in the field to ensure methodological rigor, data analysis, and scientific contribution.
This process requires time, effort, and a fairly extensive network of reviewers .
When the number of articles processed increases dramatically, there’s a risk that the depth of the review process will decrease . Journals will become increasingly reliant on a faster, less thorough editorial process.
The surge in the number of scientific articles is also occurring globally. A 2015 bibliometric analysis showed that the number of scientific publications is growing at around 8–9% per year. Consequently, the number could double in about a decade.
The international publication ethics organization, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) , has warned that publication pressure often exploits loopholes in journal editorial systems and peer review processes.
This loophole can foster the practice of mass-producing scientific articles ( paper mills ) . This term refers to organizations that produce research manuscripts and sell authorship to researchers seeking publication. A 2022 study found that more than 1,100 scientific articles were retracted because they originated from a network of paper mills .
In the context of higher education in Indonesia, a lecturer’s workload is not only teaching, but also includes research obligations, community service, and other academic support tasks.
When lecturers simultaneously act as journal reviewers , the burden increases. Furthermore, reviewing manuscripts requires thoroughness, time, and a high degree of academic responsibility.
Reflections from the experiences of many lecturers show that journal review activities are often carried out in between teaching hours, supervising students, or even outside of formal work hours. Besides increasing lecturer fatigue, this activity pattern creates pressure for them to maintain a balance between the quantity of output and the quality of scientific contributions.
Why does this phenomenon occur?
There are several factors that can explain this phenomenon.
First , the increasing demand for publication within the academic system. Scientific publication is not only a crucial requirement for academic promotion , but at certain times it is also required as part of postgraduate student graduation (both master’s and doctoral) through publication in scientific journals, as stipulated in previous higher education policies.
Second , a journal’s accreditation status is an important indicator for authors when choosing a publication location. Accredited journals tend to be the primary destination for article submissions.
Third , Indonesia’s scientific publishing ecosystem is still in an expansion phase. Many universities are building their editorial capacity, so the dynamics of journal management can change quite rapidly.
These factors together have driven an increase in the volume of publications in some journals.
Maintaining the integrity of the scientific publication ecosystem
The growth of scientific publications is a positive trend for the Indonesian academic world. However, this growth needs to be accompanied by governance mechanisms to ensure quality is maintained.
Some steps that can be considered include:
First , more regular journal evaluation. In addition to periodic evaluations such as accreditation , annual monitoring mechanisms can help detect significant changes in journal management, including publication volume and editorial processes.
Second , transparency in the peer review process . Journals can strengthen public trust by clearly displaying the article review process, the timeframe for reviewing manuscripts, and the involvement of reviewers.
Third , strengthening editorial capacity. Training editors and developing reviewer networks is essential to ensure that the increasing number of articles does not diminish the quality of scientific assessment.
Fourth , a paradigm shift in academic assessment. Higher education institutions can balance the assessment of faculty performance not only based on the number of publications but also on the quality and impact of research.
Indonesia is currently in a crucial phase of scientific publication development. The growth in the number of journals and articles indicates increased research activity at various universities.
However, the long-term success of this ecosystem is determined not only by the number of articles published, but also by the quality and scientific integrity that are maintained together.
With flexible policy evaluation and commitment from various parties—from journal managers and universities to policymakers—Indonesia’s scientific publication ecosystem can continue to grow without losing its academic standards.
Author Bio: Yulingga Nanda Hanief is a Lecturer in Sports at the State University of Malang
