University of Zadar

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

The University of Zadar presents a robust scientific integrity profile, with an overall risk score of -0.438 indicating performance significantly stronger than the global average. The institution demonstrates exceptional strengths in maintaining very low-risk levels for multiple affiliations, hyperprolific authorship, redundant output, and publication in discontinued journals. Crucially, the University shows remarkable resilience by avoiding national risk trends in hyper-authorship and output in institutional journals, showcasing a clear commitment to international standards of quality and transparency. Key areas for strategic attention include a medium rate of institutional self-citation, which mirrors a national pattern, and a notable gap between its overall research impact and the impact of work where it holds intellectual leadership. According to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, the University's strongest thematic areas include Arts and Humanities (ranked 4th in Croatia), as well as Environmental Science, Psychology, and Social Sciences (all ranked 5th nationally). While the institution's strong integrity culture firmly aligns with its mission to ensure "quality" and "competitiveness," the identified dependency on external partners for impact could challenge its long-term ambition to be a leading "intellectual authority" driving innovation for the region. A strategic focus on cultivating and showcasing internal research leadership would further solidify its mission and translate its high ethical standards into sustainable, self-driven scientific excellence.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

The University of Zadar demonstrates an exceptionally low risk in this area, with a Z-score of -1.390, which is notably better than the already low-risk national average of -0.821. This result suggests that the institution's affiliation practices are clear and well-managed, showing no signs of the strategic inflation of institutional credit or “affiliation shopping” that can be signaled by disproportionately high rates. The absence of risk signals in this indicator, even when compared to the national standard, points to a culture of transparency and straightforward academic collaboration.

Rate of Retracted Output

With a Z-score of -0.099, the institution's rate of retracted publications is statistically normal and virtually identical to the national average of -0.095. This alignment indicates that the University's performance is as expected for its context, with no evidence of systemic failures in its pre-publication quality control mechanisms. Retractions are complex events, and this low level is consistent with the responsible correction of occasional, unintentional errors rather than suggesting any underlying vulnerability in the institution's integrity culture.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

The University's Z-score for institutional self-citation is 0.278, a medium-risk value that closely mirrors the national average of 0.288. This synchrony suggests the institution is part of a systemic pattern common within the country. While a certain level of self-citation is natural and reflects the continuity of established research lines, this moderate level warrants attention. It may signal a tendency towards scientific isolation or 'echo chambers' where work is validated internally without sufficient external scrutiny, a shared national dynamic that could lead to an endogamous inflation of perceived academic influence.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

The institution exhibits an excellent profile in this indicator, with a Z-score of -0.458, reflecting a very low risk that is significantly better than the national average of -0.284. This strong performance indicates a rigorous and well-informed process for selecting publication venues. It demonstrates that the University's researchers are effectively avoiding channels that fail to meet international ethical or quality standards, thereby protecting the institution from the severe reputational risks associated with 'predatory' or low-quality publishing practices and ensuring research resources are used effectively.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

The University of Zadar shows institutional resilience against a national trend, with a low-risk Z-score of -0.406 in contrast to Croatia's medium-risk average of 0.472. This indicates that the institution's control mechanisms are effectively mitigating a systemic risk present in its environment. While extensive author lists are legitimate in some 'Big Science' fields, the University's ability to maintain a low rate suggests it is successfully preventing practices like author list inflation or 'honorary' authorships, thereby preserving individual accountability and transparency in its research output.

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

The institution presents a Z-score of 1.117 in this indicator, a medium-risk value that signals a higher exposure to this issue than the national average of 0.807. This wide positive gap suggests that the University's scientific prestige is more dependent on external collaborations than is typical for its peers in the country. This finding invites a strategic reflection on whether its high-impact metrics result from genuine internal capacity or from strategic positioning in collaborations where the institution does not exercise primary intellectual leadership, posing a potential risk to the long-term sustainability of its research excellence.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

With a Z-score of -1.413, the University has a virtually non-existent risk of hyperprolific authorship, a result that is substantially stronger than the country's already low-risk average of -0.608. This demonstrates a healthy institutional culture that prioritizes the integrity of the scientific record over sheer volume. The absence of extreme individual publication volumes suggests that the University effectively avoids potential imbalances between quantity and quality, steering clear of risks such as coercive authorship or the assignment of credit without meaningful intellectual contribution.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

The University of Zadar demonstrates a clear preventive isolation from a significant national risk, with a very low Z-score of -0.268 compared to the country's medium-risk score of 1.531. This divergence is a major institutional strength, indicating that the University does not replicate the risk dynamics observed in its environment. By avoiding excessive dependence on its own journals, the institution circumvents potential conflicts of interest and academic endogamy, ensuring its research undergoes independent external peer review. This commitment to global validation standards enhances its visibility and competitiveness, contrasting sharply with the national trend.

Rate of Redundant Output

The institution shows a very low risk of redundant output, with a Z-score of -1.186 that is significantly better than the national average of -0.247. This strong result indicates a commendable focus on publishing complete and significant research rather than engaging in 'salami slicing'—the practice of fragmenting a single study into multiple minimal publications to artificially inflate productivity. This approach respects the scientific record, avoids overburdening the peer-review system, and prioritizes the generation of new knowledge over metric-driven volume.