What motivated you to join DOAB as an ambassador?
I want to contribute to the global transition towards open science by advocating for open access books so that more valuable publishing outputs can benefit a broader audience. My commitment to support and promote international scholarly exchange brought me to join CNPIEC, where I oversee projects that foster academic dialogue between China and the world and non-profit or mission-driven initiatives that promote cultural exchange and open dialogue. I have also been deeply inspired by the work of my personal friends and colleagues I have met during work, such as Mr. Shuai Yan (DOAJ ambassador) and Ms. Xiaofeng Guo (Crossref ambassador). Witnessing their enthusiasm and the tangible impact they have had on the Chinese publishing community inspired me to step into this role for DOAB.
How do you plan to drive open access book publishing in your country/region through your work as a DOAB ambassador?
I plan to leverage CNPIEC’s established infrastructure and professional networks to integrate DOAB more deeply into the Chinese scholarly ecosystem. My approach is built around three aspects:
Leveraging international events, like the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), to broaden OA impact in China and build new global partnerships:
the Beijing International Book Fair could prove an influential platform to facilitate discussions and networking opportunities with Chinese publishers, with a focus on open access book publishing. These activities will help publishers better understand the global shift towards Open science and the role OA books play within it.
Broaden and deepen institutional outreach in China:
Through close collaboration with domestic academic institutions and research libraries, I will promote DOAB as a trusted discovery resource for researchers, as well as a practical option for institutions interested in developing their own open access book publishing initiatives.
Strategic Integration with OSPC:
CNPIEC serves as the secretariat of the Open Science Promotion Consortium (OSPC) in China. I will actively seek collaboration between DOAB and OSPC, enabling DOAB to stay informed about open access trends and policy developments in China, while simultaneously increasing awareness of DOAB among key Chinese stakeholders.
What or who inspires you in your role?
I am primarily inspired by the “pioneers” of open science in China, specifically Mr. Shuai Yan and Ms. Ran Dang (representing DOAJ and Crossref respectively). They have shown that an ambassador’s role is not just about representation, but about building a community and facilitating the adoption of international best practices.
What are the biggest challenges you see in advancing open access book publishing in your country/region?
The primary challenge is the current academic evaluation system. In China, the incentive structures for researchers are heavily weighted toward journal articles (specifically those indexed in SCI or Scopus) because they have established “Impact Factors” that are easy to measure.
Books, by nature, have a longer publication cycle and lack a similarly standardised “prestige metric” in the eyes of many evaluation committees. This makes researchers more hesitant to invest time in writing books, let alone Open Access ones. There is a need to shift the mindset from”journal first” to a more holistic view that recognises the unique value of longform publications. Furthermore, the funding models for Book Processing Charges (BPCs) are not yet as mature or widely available as Article Processing Charges (APCs). However, this is a good opportunity to rethink the trajectory for OA books and seek OA paths that are altogether more equitable and inclusive.
I am very much looking forward to working with the DOAB team. I am particularly interested in hearing more about your specific strategic goals for the Chinese region. By aligning our local activities with your global roadmap, we can ensure that Chinese scholarly books are more visible, discoverable, and impactful on the international stage.