Dhofar University

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

Dhofar University presents a scientific integrity profile with an overall score of 0.342, characterized by significant strengths in governance and notable, specific vulnerabilities. The institution demonstrates exemplary control in areas such as the Rate of Multiple Affiliations, the Rate of Hyperprolific Authors, and the Rate of Output in Institutional Journals, indicating a robust commitment to external validation and ethical authorship practices. These strengths provide a solid foundation for its recognized academic leadership, particularly in high-performing fields like Chemistry and Earth and Planetary Sciences, where it ranks first in Oman according to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, as well as in Energy, where it holds a prominent second position. However, a critical risk has been identified in the Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals, which directly contradicts the university's mission to "achieve excellence" and promote "cutting-edge professional knowledge." This practice not only poses a reputational threat but also undermines the impact of its strongest research areas. To fully align its operational integrity with its strategic vision, it is recommended that the university implement targeted training and enhanced due diligence protocols for publication channel selection, thereby safeguarding its academic excellence and ensuring its contributions remain at the forefront of innovation.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

The institution exhibits a Z-score of -1.530, a value indicating a very low risk level that contrasts sharply with the national average of 0.062, which falls into the medium-risk category. This marked difference suggests that Dhofar University operates with distinct internal governance that effectively insulates it from the risk dynamics prevalent in its national environment. While multiple affiliations can be a legitimate outcome of collaboration, the university’s data shows no signs of the strategic "affiliation shopping" that can be used to artificially inflate institutional credit. This preventive isolation demonstrates a clear commitment to transparent and accurate representation of its collaborative footprint.

Rate of Retracted Output

With a Z-score of 0.408, the institution's rate of retractions is at a medium-risk level, closely mirroring the national average of 0.455. This alignment suggests that the university is experiencing a systemic pattern of risk common throughout the country's research ecosystem rather than an issue unique to its own processes. Retractions are complex events, and while some signify responsible correction of honest errors, a sustained medium level indicates that pre-publication quality control mechanisms may be facing challenges shared at a national level. This highlights a potential vulnerability in the collective integrity culture that warrants a review of shared practices or standards.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

The university's Z-score for institutional self-citation is -0.409, a low-risk value that is statistically consistent with the national average of -0.371. This indicates a state of normality, where the level of self-citation is as expected for an institution of its context and size. A certain degree of self-citation is natural and reflects the healthy continuity of established research lines. The observed low rate confirms that the institution is not at risk of creating scientific 'echo chambers' or endogamously inflating its impact, instead demonstrating that its academic influence is validated by the broader scientific community.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

Dhofar University shows a Z-score of 3.071, a significant risk level that dramatically exceeds the country's medium-risk average of 0.812. This finding indicates that the institution is not only susceptible to a vulnerability present in the national system but actively amplifies it. A high proportion of publications in discontinued journals constitutes a critical alert regarding the due diligence applied in selecting dissemination channels. This Z-score suggests that a significant portion of the university's scientific output is being channeled through media that fail to meet international ethical or quality standards, exposing the institution to severe reputational risks and signaling an urgent need for information literacy initiatives to prevent the waste of resources on 'predatory' or substandard practices.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

The institution maintains a Z-score of -1.102 in this indicator, a low-risk value that is notably more conservative than the national low-risk average of -0.759. This prudent profile suggests that the university manages its authorship processes with greater rigor than the national standard. By effectively avoiding patterns of author list inflation outside of legitimate 'Big Science' contexts, the institution upholds a high degree of individual accountability and transparency. This practice serves as a positive signal, distinguishing its collaborative work from potential 'honorary' or political authorship practices and reinforcing the integrity of its research contributions.

Gap between Impact of total output and the impact of output with leadership

With a Z-score of 0.071, the institution's impact gap is in the medium-risk category, but it demonstrates significantly better performance than the national average of 0.410. This reflects a differentiated management approach, where the university successfully moderates a risk that appears more common across the country. A wide positive gap can signal that an institution's prestige is overly dependent on external partners rather than its own structural capacity. By maintaining a smaller gap, Dhofar University shows a healthier balance, suggesting that its excellence metrics are increasingly rooted in genuine internal capabilities and intellectual leadership, thus ensuring greater long-term sustainability.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

The university's Z-score of -1.413 places it in the very low-risk category, a position that is even stronger than the country's already low-risk average of -0.246. This low-profile consistency indicates an absence of risk signals that aligns with, and improves upon, the national standard. Extreme individual publication volumes can challenge the limits of meaningful intellectual contribution and point to risks such as coercive authorship or the dilution of quality. The virtual absence of this phenomenon at Dhofar University reinforces a culture that prioritizes the integrity of the scientific record over the sheer volume of output.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

The institution has a Z-score of -0.268, indicating a very low reliance on its own journals for publication. This stands in stark contrast to the national average of 0.977, which falls into the medium-risk category. This clear divergence demonstrates a form of preventive isolation, where the university avoids replicating risk dynamics common in its environment. Excessive dependence on in-house journals can create conflicts of interest and academic endogamy. By choosing to publish through external channels, the institution ensures its scientific production undergoes independent peer review, thereby mitigating risks and enhancing its global visibility and credibility.

Rate of Redundant Output

With a Z-score of -0.029, the university's rate of redundant output is low and statistically aligned with the national average of -0.066. This indicates a normal and healthy pattern of publication for its context. While citing previous work is essential, massive bibliographic overlap can be a sign of 'salami slicing'—the practice of fragmenting a single study into multiple articles to inflate productivity. The institution's low score suggests its researchers are building upon their work cumulatively and responsibly, prioritizing the generation of significant new knowledge over the artificial inflation of publication metrics.