At an earlier edition of the Academic Publishing Conference, which returns this month to Beijing International Book Fair. Image: BIBF
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
A Public-Facing Fair With Professional Programming
As preparations are made for the 31st edition of the Beijing International Book Fair (June 18 to 22), we’ve learned that Melissa Fleming, the United Nations’ Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, is among speakers who will speak during a special “international publishing forum” program on June 19. Fleming, as many of our readers know, gave the keynote at the International Publishers Association‘s (IPA) 34th International Publishers Congress at Guadalajara on December 5, and is among the most astute observers on the cost of disinformation in contemporary media.
The Beijing show seems to be deeply invested in conferences this year as part of the professional offerings of the event, which last year drew a reported 1,600 exhibitors and some 300,000 members of the public, a gain of 100,000 attendees over the turnout in 2023. What’s more, the company realizes, may be surprising to some who have thought of this primarily as a trade show.
Publishing Perspectives has asked for some clarification, and in response to that request, a spokesperson tells us, “BIBF remains firmly rooted in trade publishing, with dedicated halls and strong participation from major international and Chinese trade publishers. That focus has not changed and continues to be a core part of the fair’s identity.
“At the same time, the increased emphasis on academic publishing and conferences this year reflects notable growth in these areas—both in exhibitor engagement and in the addition of new professional forums such as the STM APAC Conference. As this sector continues to expand within BIBF, we feel it’s important to highlight that momentum, especially as it offers valuable insight into how the fair is evolving.”
Parallel to conferences, the book fair itself—a public-facing fair with several programming elements for professionals—anticipates some 1,700 exhibitors from as many as 80 markets, with first-time country participation expected to include Bangladesh, Chile, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Kenya, and Oman. And in terms of that programming, there’s to be an emphasis on an “Academic Digital Publishing Hub,” an STM APAC conference; and more.
The “international publishing forum” conference runs 9:30 to 12:00 on June 19, and also is to feature Chang Bo of China Publishing Group; Gvantsa Jobava, president of the IPA; Niels Peter Thomas of Springer Nature, Wong Kah Woh, deputy minister of education in Malaysia; Zhang Chaoyang, chairman of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group; Christie Henry, president of Princeton University Press; Erik Nilsson, senior journalist with China Daily; and Arnold Bergler, CEO of Peter Lang International Academic Publishing Group.
The thrust of that program on the 19th is “how digital breakthroughs and collaborative models can drive sustainable growth and innovation across borders.”
That STM conference, Open Driven by Innovation, is on the 17th of June, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with an emphasis on “the development strategies and innovative practices of open science.”
More Conferences and a Public Audience
Attendees at the public-facing Beijing International Book Fair 2024. Image: BIBF
Yet another conference, the PubTech conference, is on June 16 from 1:30 to 5 p.m., with a title Publishing’s Future Empowered by Technology.
There is still another conference setting, the BIBF “world children’s book forum” from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on June 19. The UN’s Melissa Fleming is listed as a speaker in this one, too, as are Elena Pasoli, director of the Bologna International Book Fair; Lola Shoneyin, the Aficionado Award-winning chair of IBBY Nigeria and board member of PublisHer; Rashid Al Kous, executive director of Emirates Publishers Association Feng Shixin, president of China Academy of Press and Publication; Adibah Omar, CEO of KL City Book Council, Malaysia; Tu Zipei, MIT visiting researcher and former vice-president of Alibaba Group; Li Shuangwu, executive director and president of Contemporary World Press; Li Hui, vice-chairman, China South Publishing & Media Group; Elias Wondimu, founder and CEO of Tsehai Publishers; Mercy Kirui, senior manager of Mwengo Publishers.
Continuing to stress its emphasis on academic publishing, the Beijing fair lists a strong roster of major exhibiting academic publishers including:
- Elsevier
- Springer Nature
- Wiley
- Taylor & Francis
- Cengage Learning
- Cambridge University Press
- Oxford University Press
- Princeton University Press
- SAGE Publishing
- World Scientific Publishing of Singapore
First-time academic exhibitors include Crossref (USA); MPS Limited (India); Pluto Labs (South Korea); Eco-Vector (Russia); Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities (United Arab Emirates); InterRegional for Strategic Analysis (United Arab Emirates); and MIPP International (Belarus).
More from Publishing Perspectives about the Beijing International Book Fair is here, more on the Chinese book and publishing market is here, our popular China Bestsellers research is here, more on the international rights business is here, and more from us on Asia is here.