(12 Feb 2026) The World Journal Clout Index (WJCI), short for World Journal Influence Index of Scientific and Technological Periodicals, represents a comprehensive evaluation system designed to measure the global impact of sci-tech journals beyond traditional metrics. Developed and released annually by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the WJCI addresses limitations in dominant indices like Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports (JCR) or Scopus, which often favor English-language publications and overlook contributions from non-Western journals.
Unlike JCR, which primarily relies on citation data from a select pool of high-impact English journals, WJCI incorporates a broader dataset including citations from global sources, social media mentions, downloads, and international collaboration indicators. This multi-dimensional approach—encompassing academic influence (citations and impact factor), social influence (altmetrics like views and shares), and internationalization (proportion of foreign authors and citations)—provides a more equitable assessment for journals worldwide, particularly those from emerging scientific powers like China.
The WJCI 2025 report marks a milestone, covering 1,906 Chinese sci-tech journals—an impressive 480 more than the 2020 edition. Collectively, these journals achieved an average WJCI index of 1.490, securing a global seventh-place ranking, a leap of five positions from twelfth in 2020. 103 59
Other standout metrics include:
- Average total citations per journal: 2,530, up 55.6% from 1,626 in 2020.
- Average impact factor: 2.434, more than double the 2020 figure of 1.105.
- Q1 (top quartile) journals: 362, nearly doubling from 172.
- Top 5% globally in their disciplines: 76 journals, a 9.5-fold increase from 2020.
- Top 10%: 152 journals.
These figures underscore a surge in both quantity and quality, reflecting China’s strategic investments in scientific publishing. Read more from the official CAST announcement (in Chinese).
