The evolution of Baltic scientific journals

Abstract This study examines the evolution of scientific journals in the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, through a scientometric lens, assessing their international integration, publication trends, and impact within the global research ecosystem. Using Scopus and SciVal databases, we analysed 49,695 articles from 122 Baltic journals indexed in Scopus, focusing on quartile rankings, subject area distributions, citation impact, and international collaborations. The findings reveal that while the number of Baltic journals has increased significantly since 1990, these journals remain largely positioned in the lower quartiles (Q3 and Q4), with few achieving Q1 status. Social sciences and humanities dominate the Baltic publishing landscape, yet these disciplines exhibit relatively low citation metrics compared to STEM fields. International collaboration remains limited, with single-country publications (SCPs) prevailing, though a notable rise in co-authorship with Chinese scholars in Lithuanian journals has emerged. Despite digitalization efforts, there are still systemic problems. Peer review challenges persist due to small academic communities and language barriers. Furthermore, Baltic journals are not visible internationally. Citation impact remains modest, with older articles experiencing diminishing citation rates over time. Our study highlights the need for enhanced journal management practices, greater international collaboration, and increased indexing efforts to improve the global visibility and prestige of Baltic journals.