University of Tirana

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

The University of Tirana presents a robust overall integrity profile with a score of 0.790, demonstrating significant strengths in core research practices. The institution exhibits very low to non-existent risk in areas such as multiple affiliations, institutional self-citation, hyperprolific authorship, and publishing in its own journals, indicating a solid foundation of internal governance. This operational integrity supports its leadership position within Albania, as evidenced by its top national rankings in key thematic areas like Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Business, Management and Accounting, and Environmental Science according to SCImago Institutions Rankings data. However, a critical vulnerability emerges in the high rate of publication in discontinued journals, which significantly exceeds the already compromised national average. This practice directly contradicts the university's mission to serve as a responsible contributor to a "global society," as it risks channeling valuable research into low-quality or predatory outlets, undermining the credibility of its scientific contributions. To fully align its operational excellence with its stated mission, it is imperative that the university implements targeted information literacy and due diligence policies for journal selection, thereby safeguarding its national leadership and ensuring its research has a legitimate global impact.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

With a Z-score of -1.416, the University of Tirana demonstrates a complete absence of risk signals in this area, performing even more conservatively than the national average of -1.210. This result reflects total operational silence on this indicator, suggesting that the institution's affiliation practices are transparent and well-governed. While multiple affiliations can be a legitimate outcome of collaboration, the university's very low rate indicates no evidence of strategic attempts to inflate institutional credit or engage in “affiliation shopping,” reinforcing a culture of clear and honest attribution.

Rate of Retracted Output

The institution's Z-score for retracted output is 0.352, which, while indicating a medium level of risk, demonstrates relative containment compared to the significant national average of 2.109. This suggests that although some risk signals are present, the university operates with more effective quality control than the national system at large. Retractions are complex events, and a rate significantly higher than the global average can alert to a vulnerability in an institution's integrity culture. In this context, the university's score suggests that while there may be isolated failures in pre-publication quality control, they do not appear to be as systemic as the issues observed across the country, though a qualitative review by management is still advisable.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

The University of Tirana shows a Z-score of -1.006, a very low value that contrasts with the low-risk national average of -0.028. This low-profile consistency indicates that the institution's complete lack of risk signals in this area aligns with a national environment that already shows minimal signs of concern. A certain level of self-citation is natural, but the university's score confirms it is not operating within a scientific 'echo chamber.' This result provides strong evidence that the institution's academic influence is validated by the global community rather than being inflated by endogamous or internal dynamics.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

The University of Tirana shows a Z-score of 4.891 in this indicator, a value that not only represents a significant risk but also surpasses the already critical national average of 3.512. This situation constitutes a global red flag, indicating that the institution is a primary driver of this high-risk practice within a country already facing systemic challenges. A high proportion of publications in discontinued journals is a critical alert regarding the due diligence applied in selecting dissemination channels. This Z-score indicates that a significant portion of the university's scientific production is being channeled through media that do not meet international ethical or quality standards, exposing the institution to severe reputational risks. There is an urgent need to implement robust information literacy programs to prevent the waste of research resources on 'predatory' or low-quality practices and to protect the integrity of the institution's scholarly record.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

With a Z-score of -0.076, the institution maintains a prudent profile, showing more rigorous control over authorship practices than the national standard, which has a score of -0.008. This result suggests that the university effectively distinguishes between necessary massive collaboration and potential author list inflation. While extensive author lists are legitimate in 'Big Science' contexts, the university's controlled rate indicates a low risk of 'honorary' or political authorship practices that could otherwise dilute individual accountability and transparency.

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

The institution's Z-score of 1.303 indicates a medium-risk gap, but this value reflects differentiated management, as it is notably lower than the national average of 1.929. This suggests the university is moderating a risk that appears more common across the country. A wide positive gap signals a sustainability risk where scientific prestige may be dependent on external partners rather than internal capacity. The university's score, while still a point of attention, indicates a healthier balance between collaborative impact and the impact of research where it exercises intellectual leadership, suggesting a more structured and sustainable research ecosystem than its national peers.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

The University of Tirana's Z-score of -1.413 is identical to the national average, demonstrating perfect integrity synchrony with its environment. This total alignment in an area of maximum scientific security confirms the absence of any risk signals related to extreme individual publication volumes. This score indicates that the institution fosters a healthy balance between quantity and quality, with no evidence of practices like coercive authorship or authorship assignment without real participation, which can prioritize metrics over the integrity of the scientific record.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

With a Z-score of -0.268, which is identical to the national average, the institution demonstrates integrity synchrony and total alignment with an environment of maximum scientific security. This result indicates that the university does not excessively depend on its in-house journals for dissemination. This practice avoids potential conflicts of interest and the risk of academic endogamy, where production might bypass independent external peer review. The university's approach ensures its research competes for global visibility and is not channeled through internal 'fast tracks' that could inflate productivity without standard competitive validation.

Rate of Redundant Output

The university's Z-score of 0.106, indicating a medium risk, shows relative containment when compared to the significant national average of 7.012. This suggests that while some signals of data fragmentation exist, the institution operates with considerably more order than the national system. A high value in this indicator alerts to the practice of 'salami slicing'—dividing a study into minimal publishable units to artificially inflate productivity. The university's moderate score indicates that this practice is not systemic, but it warrants monitoring to ensure that research contributions remain significant and do not overburden the review system with fragmented, low-impact publications.