Digital Science has appointed Charlesworth as its strategic sales partner for Altmetric and Dimensions in China’s scholarly publishing sector, as the UK-based research technology company seeks to expand access to research data and analytics tools in one of the world’s largest academic publishing markets.
The partnership, announced in London on 5 October, brings together Digital Science’s research technology portfolio with Charlesworth’s experience in China’s scholarly publishing industry. The companies said the agreement is intended to meet growing demand among Chinese publishers and journals for research information, analytics and tools that can help them assess their international reach.
Partnership Targets China’s Expanding Scholarly Publishing Market
China’s scholarly publishing industry has expanded significantly in recent years, with domestic journal publishers investing in publishing capabilities and seeking to strengthen their position in the international research community.
Against that backdrop, Digital Science and Charlesworth will work together to make Dimensions and Altmetric more accessible to publishing organisations across the country.
Charlesworth has longstanding relationships with Chinese publishing clusters, individual publishers and academic journals. The partnership combines that local market knowledge with Digital Science’s research data and technology products.
Michael Evans, CEO of Charlesworth, said:
“Chinese scholarly publishing has developed significantly over recent years. We are seeing increasingly ambitious publishers, publishing clusters and journals looking to build their capabilities, strengthen their international presence and better understand their position within the global research landscape.
“Charlesworth has worked with Chinese publishers for many years, giving us a strong understanding of both the market and its changing needs. Altmetric and Dimensions are highly relevant to this next stage of growth, and we are delighted to be working with Digital Science to make these products more accessible to publishers across China.”
Dimensions and Altmetric Provide Research Data and Impact Insights
Dimensions is a connected research database containing more than 430 million interconnected records. Its coverage includes research publications, conference abstracts, grants, patents and clinical trials, allowing users to examine relationships across different areas of the global research ecosystem.
The platform is designed to help researchers, publishers and other organisations discover information and analyse research activity across disciplines and markets.
Altmetric, meanwhile, tracks how research is shared, discussed, reviewed and read online. The service provides information about attention surrounding research beyond conventional academic citation measures.
Publishers Seek Broader Measures of Research Reach
Together, the two products give publishers access to research information while offering different ways to assess the visibility and reach of published work.
For Chinese publishers seeking greater international exposure, such data can provide additional insight into how research circulates globally and how individual publications or research outputs attract attention beyond academic citations.
Stephen Leicht, CEO of Digital Science, said:
“China is an important and rapidly developing part of the global research ecosystem. As its publishing sector continues to grow and mature, access to high-quality research data and insights can play an important role in supporting that development. Charlesworth’s knowledge of the local market and relationships across the publishing community make them an excellent partner for Digital Science in China.”
Charlesworth Builds on Longstanding China Publishing Operations
The agreement extends Charlesworth’s existing work with China’s scholarly publishing community. The company works with publishing clusters, journals and other organisations to connect them with international publishing expertise, technology and services.
Charlesworth, which is part of Enago, provides sales, marketing, technology and author services to publishers and the wider research community in China and other international markets. Its work includes supporting publishers seeking to develop their operations and increase their international presence.
For Digital Science, the partnership provides a locally established route for expanding Altmetric and Dimensions within China’s publishing industry. For Charlesworth, the agreement broadens the research technology and analytics services it can offer publishers as the country’s scholarly publishing sector continues to develop and deepen its links with the global research market.
George Orwell is a writer and contributor covering politics, society, culture, and current affairs. His work focuses on providing clear analysis and thoughtful commentary on the issues shaping modern Britain and the wider world, helping readers better understand complex topics.
