Kawistara Journal, a SINTA 2–accredited scientific journal managed by the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM), received an official visit from the Journal of Hospitality Accommodation Management (JHAM) team of Politeknik Pariwisata Bali on Friday, 14th November 2025. The meeting was held in the East Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, Building Unit 1 of the UGM Graduate School.
The visiting JHAM team consisted of Editor-in-Chief Ida Ayu Sri Puspa Adi and Editor I Wayan Sunarsa. They were welcomed directly by the Editor-in-Chief of Kawistara Journal, Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Ahnaf, along with the journal’s editorial staff.
This visit was conducted as part of a benchmarking initiative on academic journal management and an exploration of strategies to enhance journal quality and indexing performance. Currently, JHAM is accredited at SINTA 4 and is targeting an upgrade to SINTA 2.
During the discussion session, the JHAM team conveyed several challenges they face in journal management, particularly related to the limited number of article submissions and the lengthy peer-review process. “One of our main obstacles is the low number of submitted manuscripts and the prolonged review process due to difficulties in finding suitable reviewers,” stated Ida Ayu Sri Puspa Adi.
Responding to this, Dr. Iqbal Ahnaf noted that Kawistara Journal also experiences similar challenges. “The review process is indeed one of the most critical aspects of journal management. We face similar dynamics, which is why strategies to expand reviewer networks and improve the quality of incoming manuscripts are essential,” he explained.
The visit, which proceeded intensively and productively, included an exchange of experiences on OJS management, strategies to enhance journal visibility, quality assurance measures, and the development of reviewer and author networks. Both Kawistara Journal and JHAM expressed hope that this visit will foster further collaboration in the future.
Through this visit, the UGM Graduate School reaffirmed its commitment to support the improvement of scientific publication quality in Indonesia through collaboration and the sharing of best practices among journal managers.
Author: Asti Rahmaningrum