Publication in High Impact Journals and Implications for University Rankings of African Universities

Introduction

Publishing research in high-impact journals is a crucial measure of academic success and recognition for scholars and universities. For African universities, publication in such journals can have significant implications for their ranking and reputation within the global academic community. High-impact journals are considered to be the most prestigious and influential publications in their respective fields, and researchers and institutions strive to have their work featured in these journals to showcase their research excellence and impact. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, African universities need to focus on improving research and innovation to compete with other leading institutions worldwide (WEF, 2017). High-impact journals are the most prestigious and influential publications in their respective fields, and publishing in such journals is an indicator of research excellence and impact. However, African universities have historically faced several challenges in achieving this goal. Limited resources, lack of access to modern research infrastructure and equipment, and low research funding are just a few of the many factors that have hindered the ability of African universities to conduct cutting-edge research and publish their findings in high-impact journals (Juma, 2018). Nonetheless, recent years have seen some progress being made by African universities in this regard. Various initiatives have been put in place to support African research and innovation, including increased funding opportunities and access to global research networks. These efforts have led to a rise in the number of African-authored papers being published in high-impact journals (Kenny, 2018). These efforts have led to a rise in the number of Africa-authored papers being published in high-impact journals.

Consequently, research publication is a good approach for linking the university to the community and industry by making known the endeavours of institutions in meeting the socio-political, scientific and technological needs of society. Research activities help to provide a bank of scholarly information for broadening the frontiers of earning and institutions' visibility. Patrons from both industry and commerce derived their sustenance from the body of academic information and knowledge of researchers (Annum, 2022). Neglect of research activities, therefore, is a clear recipe for eroding scholarly fundamentals. It is not unanticipated that the prominence of high-impact intellectual content materials on the internet has become a major key indicator and metric for ranking HEIs by all the top ranking agencies in the world (Annum, 2022).

Most universities and research institutions in SubSaharan Africa have a weak research infrastructure, capacity, and funding which affects their contribution to the world’s knowledge production and development through research activities (Abrahams et al., 2009; Kotecha et al., 2011; Toivanen and Ponomariov, 2011; Pouris, 2015) cited in (Sangeda & Lwoga, 2017). Additionally, the lack of access to international and local research outputs, and poor visibility of Africa’s research outputs contribute to low research productivity (Abrahams et al., 2009; Nature, 2015) cited in (Sangeda & Lwoga, 2017). The impact of this is grievous on the research output of researchers in the African sub-region. The emphasis currently is on the publication of high-impact journals, which will enhance the visibility of research that will promote its parent institution in terms of ranking. Universally, university rankings are now a conventional part of the worldwide higher education setting. Students applying for higher studies use them to help select where to study, faculty use them to select where to work, universities use them to market themselves, funders use them to select who to fund, and governments use them to set their ambitions so it’s a global indicator and determinant for choices in academic trajectory (Gadd, Holmes & Shearer, 2021). Rankings according to Stack (2016), are not inactive tools, nor do they carry unbiased messages.