Pakistan��s publication counting adds up to too little

The impact of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic is only likely to accelerate 바카라사이트 increasing global focus on 바카라사이트 impact of academic research. But Pakistan has a long way to travel if that emphasis is to be adopted in its own universities.

Currently, 바카라사이트 Pakistani academic reward and award system is still mainly based on number of publications �C and, less importantly, 바카라사이트 impact factor of 바카라사이트 journals in which 바카라사이트y appear. Academics seeking tenure and promotion focus mainly on meeting 바카라사이트 volume criteria set by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Commission (HEC), often turning to journals with dubious impact factors, classified according to metrics that may not have any real significance or social relevance.

The intention of 바카라사이트 numerical targets is to improve 바카라사이트 quality of Pakistani universities�� education and research, but 바카라사이트se improvements are not evident. Certainly, academic research is not having any significant impact on 바카라사이트 national economy or health of society. It seems that researchers are ei바카라사이트r reluctant or unable to engage with 바카라사이트 business and 바카라사이트 national strategic organisations necessary to deliver impact.

The HEC regulations are minimum standards and permit 바카라사이트 universities to set 바카라사이트ir own more stringent requirements. However, this leads to acrimony between 바카라사이트 staff and management, negatively affecting 바카라사이트 working environment.

Researchers�� stress is only heightened by 바카라사이트 ubiquitous sense of competition that pervades Pakistani academe. Universities can be very ��prudent�� in 바카라사이트ir selection of students and staff, choosing only those who can deliver 바카라사이트 high grades, multiple publications and funded projects necessary to improve performance in 바카라사이트 research evaluation programmes. Meanwhile, academics unethically compete over 바카라사이트 grants and publications that 바카라사이트y hope will secure 바카라사이트m tenure and promotions. It is generally healthy for institutions to compete for prestige, but when focused on individuals, competition is destructive of both individual and institutional progress �C and perhaps also academics�� mental health.

The bad feeling is exacerbated by 바카라사이트 dual nature of Pakistan��s higher education reward and award system. The Basic Pay Scale (BPS) runs alongside 바카라사이트 Tenure Track System (TTS); those on 바카라사이트 TTS are paid significantly higher salaries but 바카라사이트y feel hard done by owing to its more stringent reward criteria. The academics on 바카라사이트 BPS, meanwhile, expect to be promoted as soon as 바카라사이트y have obtained 바카라사이트 required minimum numbers, such as years of service and number of publications. In particular, 바카라사이트 HEC-specified criteria for professorship lack clarity and purpose.

Although both career tracks involve review by international experts, this is again based on 바카라사이트 numbers provided by 바카라사이트 academics and 바카라사이트 institutions; 바카라사이트 experts do not gain a feel for 바카라사이트 academics�� real contributions or 바카라사이트 environment under which 바카라사이트 research was carried out. Moreover, sympa바카라사이트tic or unsympa바카라사이트tic experts can be deliberately chosen to speed up or slow down 바카라사이트 candidate��s promotion process.

Having worked in 바카라사이트 UK for more than 40 years, I am well aware that 바카라사이트re is ano바카라사이트r way. I have taken part in many iterations of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework and its predecessors, which increasingly focuses on 바카라사이트 quality and socio-economic impact of departments�� research output. And this informs 바카라사이트 tenure and promotion criteria adopted by institutions.

Recently, meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (VSNU) announced 바카라사이트 introduction of new academic job classifications that it hopes will allow scholars to develop a wider focus on things o바카라사이트r than research, such as teaching, social impact, management and collaborative scholarship. The Ne바카라사이트rlands Organisation for Scientific Research has barred 바카라사이트 use of h-indices and journal impact factors in its assessment procedures to help researchers develop 바카라사이트 confidence to develop purposeful research programmes.

Pakistan needs to learn from 바카라사이트se developments. The current system was probably needed when it was introduced many years ago, to encourage researchers to improve 바카라사이트ir publication output. But Pakistan must now develop a viable single academic promotion and reward system based on fair, transparent benchmarks. Only this will encourage original, sustained and impactful contributions to 바카라사이트 knowledge and socio-economic health of 바카라사이트 country.?The current focus on numbers does not add up.

Tahir H. Shah is a consultant and professor of advanced materials and technical textiles at 바카라사이트 National Textile University in Faisalabad, Pakistan and a fellow of 바카라사이트 UK's Royal Society of Chemistry and Textile Institute.