Applying scientific thinking in the service of society

1. INTERNATIONALISATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Roseanne Diab Executive Officer: ASSAf 4 April 2012 HESA Biennial Conference Applying scientific thinking in the service of society

2. Strategy for Internationalisation of Research and Innovation • Need for a baseline study that can inform policy and focuses on, inter alia: • Scientific publishing • Mobility – researchers & graduate students • Research funding • Networks and co-operation • Need for development of a set of indicators to monitor internationalisation • Need for regular review of progress towards internationalisation • Internationalisation is not a value in itself but a means to achieve higher standard of research and innovation • “Internationalisation of Finnish Scientific Research” – Academy of Finland, 2009.

3. Science ResearchHow are we doing as a continent?

4. Number of Journals in WoS • Region # Journals % Europe 5 573 49% North America 4 251 38% Asia-Pacific 965 9% Latin America 272 2% Middle East/Africa 200 1%

5. Global Science • Publishing in scientific journals - most common and powerful way to disseminate research findings • Visibility and credibility, requires publishing in journals indexed in global indexing databases (WoS, Scopus) • Journals indexed in WoSconsidered to be scientifically important • System assumes that 20% journals (biggest, best established, high impact and most respected) contain 80% of real value of scientific knowledge • Most scientists in developing countries remain at the periphery of this critical communication process—exacerbating the low international recognition and impact of their accomplishments • For science to become influential and productive in developing countries, this needs to change

6. IPCC Fifth Assessment Authorship

7. IPCC Fifth Assessment Authorship (cont)

8. IPCC Fifth Assessment Authorship (cont)

9. IPCC Fifth Assessment Authorship SA has some international leaders in the Climate Change Adaptation and Impacts fields

10. IPCC Fifth Assessment Authorship SA lacks depth wrt numbers of internationally recognised scientists in the field of climate change

11. IPCC Fifth Assessment Authorship SA has poor international standing at this level

12. ASSAf’s Contribution to Internationalisation of Research • 2006 report on “A Strategic Approach to Research Publishing” → 10 recommendations • Established Scholarly Publishing Unit (SPU) in Academy to implement recommendations • Strategic goals of SPU: • To enhance quality and quantity of SA research • To enhance visibility of SA indigenous knowledge

13. Improving quality and quantity of research Systematic external peer reviewing of SA journals Aim: To establish their quality and their role in the nation’s knowledge capital –emerging researchers? Divided +/- 296 journals into broad subject (discipline) groups Appointed panels and reviewers Formulated process guidelines and editor questionnaires Published 2 reports: Social Sciences; Agriculture (32 journals) Finalising 4 reports: Theology; Health; Humanities – Classics, Literature & Language; Law (150 journals) Rolling out next 4 groups Review of all new journal applications for accreditation for DHET

14. Improving quality and quantity of research Establishment of stakeholder forums National Scholarly Editors Forum → improving quality of editorship Established in 2007 – meets annually Terms of reference established Code of best practice for editors National Scholarly Book Publishers Forum → improving and stimulating scholarly book publishing Established in 2011 – meets annually Terms of reference established Proposal for a National Book Fund

15. Increasing visibility of SA scholarly research Total output in ISI-indexed journals nearly doubled over period 1995 to 2007 (3 711 to 6 245) HE sector accounts for >80% but differential performance across universities and discipline fields 11 universities account for 92% output (1995-2007); 5 universities account for about 75% output ISI-journal output dominated by natural & agricultural sciences (53%) and health sciences (26%). HSS comprise 11%.

16. Increasing visibility of SA scholarly research Large proportion of SA research published in local journals, many of which are non-ISI Proportion varies across universities and by discipline ASSAf 2006 report on Scholarly Publishing revealed that papers published in 60 SA journals did not receive a single citation in any of 9 000 ISI journals over a 15-yr period Local high-quality journals not necessarily available to the rest of the world Global recognition—research must be accessible to global world Promotion of indigenous knowledge systems very important

17. Impact of ASSAf Scholarly Publishing Programme • Concerted intervention into SA’s National Innovation System • Open access, fully indexed SciELO-SA platform → increasing visibility • Only quality journals selected for platform • Usage, downloads, visits can be monitored daily by the editor, author and users on the system! • Inclusion of SciELO journals in WoK portal • Oversight responsibility by ASSAfCommittee on Scholarly Publishing