Portuguese Economic Journal, past and future

This article is a contribution to the history of the creation of the PEJ, officially launched in 1999. It bears witness to the context in which research in economics was undertaken in Portugal in the 1990s and the orientations given to S&T policies, which were designed to promote the internationalisation of the academic community. By analysing the successful path followed by the PEJ, the article seeks to discuss some of the challenges that are currently being faced with the development and acceptance of conventional instruments for measuring the quality of scientific journals (Journal Impact Factors), calling for a fresh look at the social and public impact of academic outcomes.