How do I make a submission to add or remove a journal or to change a rating of a listed journal?

Submissions can be made at the ABDC website.

There are three submission options in the 2025 review:

1. New journal submission — Form A
2. Rating change submission — Form B
3. Change Field of Research (FoR) submission — Form C

NB: Eligible submissions must come from Australia or New Zealand (ANZ). This means that the primary submitter must come from one of the three relevant stakeholder groups identified in the Terms of Reference:

1. A Business School/Faculty located in ANZ, or from a non-business school or faculty located in ANZ deemed to have a legitimate interest in the disciplines covered by the ABDC Journal Quality List.
2. A relevant Peak Body representing ANZ academics (where such a body is located in ANZ).
3. An individual academic or groups of like-minded academics with formal affiliation(s) to a university/universities based in ANZ. Each signatory must have a relevant minimum of 0.4 FTE position.

Submissions that are not from one the relevant stakeholder groups will not be considered by the expert panels.

What questions do the JQL review forms ask?

To review the questions before you start an application, please download the following documents:

• New journal submission — Form A question overview
• Rating change submission — Form B question overview
• Change Field of Research (FoR) submission — Form C question overview

When I start an application, can I save it and return later?

No — because of this, you may wish to download a copy of the form questions before you start.

• New journal submission — Form A question overview
• Rating change submission — Form B question overview
• Change Field of Research (FoR) submission — Form C question overview

If I send an email or write a letter will it be considered as a submission?

No — for a submission to be considered by the review panels it must be made online through the appropriate form for the submission type:

1. New journal submission — Form A 
2. Rating change submission — Form B
3. Change Field of Research (FoR) submission — Form C 

If you have issues successfully submitting a form, please email journals@abdc.edu.au outlining any error messages you received.

Submissions must come from eligible stakeholders in Australia or New Zealand (ANZ). What does this mean?

An eligible submission must come from ANZ. This means that the primary submitter must be a representative of one of the three relevant stakeholder groups identified in the Terms of Reference:

1. A Business School/Faculty located in ANZ, or from a non-business school or faculty located in ANZ deemed to have a legitimate interest in the disciplines covered by the ABDC Journal Quality List.
2. A relevant Peak Body representing ANZ academics (where such a body is located in ANZ).
3. An individual academic or groups of like-minded academics with formal affiliation(s) to a university/universities based in ANZ. Each signatory must have a relevant minimum of 0.4 FTE position.

Submissions made on behalf of groups of signatories are encouraged.

Submissions that are not from one the relevant stakeholder groups will not be considered by the expert panels.

Why must review submissions come from Australia or New Zealand (ANZ) to be considered?

The ABDC Journal Quality List has been developed to serve the needs of ABDC members and the business-related academic community located in ANZ.

In developing and subsequently reviewing the list the ABDC has taken account of considerations relevant to the ANZ business-related academic community that may or not be relevant in other country settings.

I am a journal editor or publisher; can I make a submission on my publication’s behalf?

No, as publishers are not a relevant stakeholder group. The ABDC, however, encourages publishers to alert relevant stakeholder groups to make a submission on behalf of their publication.

If a journal already appears on the ABDC Journal Quality List does a submission have to be made for it to be ranked in the 2025 list?

No — the current ABDC Journal Quality List will form the basis for review panel deliberations. This list is accepted as a strong foundation on which to build.

If the review panels should be guided to consider a downgrade or upgrade of a journal ranking, it is advisable that Form B [ADD LINK] is submitted.

Are reviews intended to update the existing list or to develop a new list?

The review is intended to update the existing list. The 2022 ABDC Journal Quality List is accepted as a strong foundation on which to build for the 2025 review.

I have received an error message when sending an online submission form, what should I do?

If you have issues successfully submitting a form, please email journals@abdc.edu.au outlining any error messages you received.

How do I change factual details about a journal on the ABDC Journal Quality List?

If details such as the publisher or title for the journal changed since the 2022 review, please email journals@abdc.edu.au