The international performance of the South African academic institutions: a citation assessment, Pouris, A HIGHER EDUCATION 54 (4). OCT 2007. p.501-509

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Address: anastassios.pouris at up.ac.za

Author(s): Pouris, A (Pouris, Anastassios)
 
Title: The international performance of the South African academic 
institutions: a citation assessment 

Source: HIGHER EDUCATION, 54 (4): 501-509 OCT 2007
 
Language: English 

Document Type: Article 

Cited Reference Count: 15 
Times Cited: 0 

Publisher: SPRINGER 

Publisher Address: VAN GODEWIJCKSTRAAT 30, 3311 GZ DORDRECHT, NETHERLANDS 
ISSN: 0018-1560 

Subject Category: Education & Educational Research 

Author Keywords: assessment; citations; evaluation; higher education; 
rankings; South Africa; universities 

Abstract: This article reports the results of an investigation to identify 
the disciplinary strengths and the international standing of the higher 
education institutions in South Africa. Even though comparative 
assessments provide valuable information for research administrations, 
researchers and students such information is not available in South Africa 
currently. The Essential Science Indicators database of the Institute for 
Scientific Information is utilized for the investigation and six South 
African universities are identified to be included in the top 1% of the 
world's institutions cited in the international scientific literature. The 
identified institutions are University of Cape Town, University of 
Pretoria, Orange Free State University, University of Witwatersrand, 
University of Natal and University of Stellenbosch. Analysis of the 
scientific disciplines in which the South African institutions meet the 
threshold requirements for inclusion in the database shows that the 
country has citation footprints in only nine of the 22 broad scientific 
disciplines. The article identifies the international standing of the 
South African universities in the various scientific disciplines, and 
elaborates on the consequences relevant to higher education and science 
and technology policy. 

Addresses: Univ Pretoria, Inst Technol Innovat, ZA-0002 Pretoria, South 
Africa 

Reprint Address: Pouris, A, Univ Pretoria, Inst Technol Innovat, Room 4-
4,Engn 2 Bldg,Main Campus, ZA-0002 Pretoria, South Africa. 

E-mail Address: anastassios.pouris at up.ac.za 

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