Purpose: This study aimed to analyze how government policies shape the governance of scientific journals in Indonesia through regulatory frameworks, quality assurance instruments, publication ethics, and digital systems that structure national journal management.Methods: A thematic analysis was employed to examine policy documents, including laws and regulations, administrative policies, ethical codes, and operational guidelines governing scientific journals. Documents were systematically analyzed using a coding process to identify regulatory objectives, governance mechanisms, quality assurance instruments, publication ethics arrangements, and modes of policy implementation through digital systems.Results: Scientific journals in Indonesia have been institutionalized as instruments of public governance rather than solely as platforms for academic communication. Journal governance is characterized by standardized accreditation, performance-based evaluation, integrated quality assurance, and administratively enforced publication ethics. Digital systems play a central role in translating regulatory standards into routine, data-driven practices, thereby enabling continuous monitoring, verification, and auditability.Conclusion: Government policies have strengthened accountability, transparency, and systemic integration in Indonesian scientific publishing. At the same time, the consolidation of standards-based governance and digital oversight presents challenges in maintaining an appropriate balance between administrative compliance and the substantive epistemic quality of scientific publications.
Irwansyah (Mon,) studied this question.