To clarify the role of universities in cultivating world-leading scientific, technical and medical (STM) journals, the research framework of "actuality—desirability—actualization" was constructed. First, the traditional roles of universities in the production and dissemination of scientific papers were analyzed. Second, the reshaped roles of universities in the process of cultivating world-leading STM journals were proposed. Finally, practical pathways for universities to reshape their new roles are provided. At the actuality level, universities have long played dual roles as authors and readers in the ecosystem of STM journals, with a single dimension of participation. As core authors of STM journals, universities possess advantages in disciplines and talent, and are the main source of China's scientific papers. However, universities publish a large number of high-quality papers in international journals, which not only leads to the outflow of manuscript sources, but requires them to pay high Article Processing Charges (APCs). As core readers of STM journals, universities need to subscribe to databases and journals covering various disciplines to enable teachers and students to grasp the latest research trends. However, internationally academic journals have high subscription fees each year, and universities also face the barriers of English language and data security risks. At the desirability level, with the acceleration of the cultivation process of world-leading STM journals, the role of universities continues to expand, and they should focus on being active cultivators of world- leading STM journals, independent evaluators of STM journals, and important supporters of international academic discourse power. As important sponsors of STM journals, universities should actively take responsibility for cultivating world-leading STM journals, transforming academic resources and scientific achievements into the driving force for journal development. As important components of academic research, universities should actively promote the reform of academic evaluation and actively construct a new evaluation paradigm for STM journals that conforms to the laws of academic development and China's reality. As important participants in building China into a strong country in education, universities should actively transform their disciplinary advantages into discourse advantages and establish a solid position in the global academic governance structure through the virtuous cycle of "discipline—journal—discourse power". In the actualization path, universities need to adhere to the "four orientations" from the perspective of scholars, "writing papers on the motherland's land", and breaking the development dilemma of "both ends being outside" from the root. From the perspective of sponsors of STM journals, they need to break the barriers of dispersed resources within the university, build a collaborative development ecosystem of "discipline—talent—journal", and continuously improve the quality and influence of university STM journals.