Recently, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Evaluation Studies (CASSES) announced the 2026 membership lists of the China Humanities and Social Sciences Journal Evaluation Expert Committee. According to the lists currently available to the public, two scholars from Macao have been appointed to the Committee: Professor Dai Dingcheng of the Faculty of Innovation and Design at City University of Macau and Professor Dai Baisheng of Macao Polytechnic University.

Since 2014, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Evaluation Studies has conducted a new round of the AMI Comprehensive Evaluation of Chinese Humanities and Social Sciences Journals every four years. The fourth round of the evaluation is currently underway. The AMI evaluation has become one of the major systems for assessing the academic quality, editorial standards, and scholarly influence of humanities and social sciences journals in China.

The appointment of two scholars from Macao to the Expert Committee carries particular significance. On the one hand, it reflects the growing participation of Macao's humanities and social sciences community in the national academic evaluation system, as well as broader recognition of the professional expertise, academic experience, and disciplinary influence of scholars in Macao. On the other hand, it demonstrates that the connections between Macao's higher education institutions and the academic community in the Chinese mainland are extending beyond academic exchange and research collaboration into deeper areas such as journal evaluation, the development of academic standards, and disciplinary governance.

Professor Dai Dingcheng currently serves as Programme Director of the postgraduate Art Studies programme and Director of the Macau Urban Music Research Centre at City University of Macau. His long-standing research focuses on musicology, Macao music culture, and urban music studies. Over the years, he has made substantial contributions to research and academic exchange concerning Macao's music culture. His appointment to the China Humanities and Social Sciences Journal Evaluation Expert Committee also reflects national-level recognition of his sustained academic contributions and professional influence.

Author: Yaqin Zhang, 2025-cohort PhD student in Arts Studies (Musicology)