Yogyakarta, 6 April 2026 — The Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology (JTBB), Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), successfully held the JTBB ASEAN Editor–Researcher Strategic Workshop 2026 in a hybrid format on 4–5 April 2026. This workshop is part of JTBB Advancement Program 2026 that is funded with EQUITY Grant by UGM. The event was attended by the JTBB editorial team as part of its strategic effort to improve the journal’s quality and quartile ranking, while also engaging researchers from across ASEAN in line with JTBB’s regional focus on biodiversity and biotechnology. This workshop represents a strategic initiative to strengthen academic networks and enhance JTBB’s relevance and competitiveness at the international level, while also contributing to the achievement of global sustainable development priorities, particularly SDG 4 Quality Education through improving the quality of scientific publications, SDG 9 Industry Innovation and Infrastructure through strengthening research and innovation ecosystems, SDG 15 Life on Land by supporting biodiversity-related research, and SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals through fostering cross-country collaboration within the ASEAN region.
The workshop featured five distinguished speakers representing their respective ASEAN countries: Prof. Madya Ts. Dr. Muhammad Abdul Latiff Bin Abu Bakar from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (Malaysia), Prof. Jonathan A. Anticamara, Ph.D. from the University of the Philippines Diliman (Philippines), Dr. Faizah Haji Metali from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (Brunei Darussalam), Prof. Kornsorn Srikulnath, Ph.D. from Kasetsart University (Thailand), and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Do Tan Khang from Can Tho University (Vietnam). Through this forum, JTBB sought to strengthen its engagement with ASEAN research communities by connecting editors, researchers, and scientific associations, while also mapping emerging research trends and publication dynamics across the region to ensure alignment with the journal’s editorial scope. Furthermore, the workshop aimed to expand and diversify JTBB’s author and reviewer base, particularly in specialized research areas, and to enhance the journal’s visibility and citation impact as part of its long-term goal of achieving Q1 ranking by 2030.
On the first day, 4 April 2026, the workshop focused on gaining insights from the invited speakers regarding current research trends, challenges in scientific publishing, and opportunities for regional collaboration. The discussions provided a comprehensive overview of the ASEAN research landscape and highlighted opportunities for JTBB to remain adaptive and responsive to scientific developments. On the second day, 5 April 2026, the JTBB editorial team conducted an internal discussion session to synthesize the insights obtained from the speakers. The outcomes of this session will serve as the foundation for JTBB’s strategic planning, particularly in enhancing journal quality and accelerating progress toward its Q1 indexing target.
Through this workshop, JTBB reaffirms its commitment to advancing as a reputable international scientific journal that is not only responsive to regional research dynamics but also actively fosters an inclusive collaboration ecosystem among editors and researchers. This initiative is expected to strengthen JTBB’s position as a credible and impactful publication platform, while contributing to the advancement of biodiversity and biotechnology research across the ASEAN region.
