Diponegoro University

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

Diponegoro University presents a profile of notable strengths in scientific integrity, balanced by specific, high-impact vulnerabilities that require strategic attention. With an overall integrity score of 0.478, the institution demonstrates robust control over authorship practices, researcher affiliation, and the generation of endogenous impact, reflecting a solid foundation of responsible conduct. These strengths are particularly relevant given the University's outstanding leadership in key thematic areas, as evidenced by its SCImago Institutions Rankings, where it holds top national positions in Environmental Science (1st), Earth and Planetary Sciences (2nd), and Agricultural and Biological Sciences (4th). However, this pursuit of excellence is challenged by two significant risks: a high rate of publication in discontinued journals and a tendency towards academic endogamy, reflected in elevated rates of institutional self-citation and publication in its own journals. These practices directly conflict with the institutional mission to produce "excellent and competitive graduates" and ensure "accountability in the governance," as they can limit global visibility and may not align with international standards of quality and external validation. To fully realize its mission, the University is advised to leverage its foundational strengths to implement targeted policies that enhance due diligence in publication venue selection and encourage broader engagement with the global scientific community, thereby ensuring its research excellence is both impactful and unimpeachable.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

The institution exhibits a Z-score of -0.892, which is notably lower than the national average of -0.674. This result indicates a very low-risk profile, suggesting that the University's governance in this area is even more rigorous than the national standard. The absence of risk signals demonstrates a clear and consistent policy regarding researcher affiliations. While multiple affiliations can be legitimate, disproportionately high rates can signal attempts to inflate institutional credit. The University's performance suggests that its affiliations are managed with transparency and are not being used for "affiliation shopping," reinforcing its commitment to clear and honest academic crediting.

Rate of Retracted Output

With a Z-score of -0.287, the institution maintains a low-risk profile, in stark contrast to the country's medium-risk average of 0.065. This demonstrates significant institutional resilience, suggesting that internal quality control mechanisms are effectively mitigating the systemic risks observed at the national level. A high rate of retractions can alert to a vulnerability in an institution's integrity culture or a failure in pre-publication quality control. Diponegoro University's favorable score indicates that its supervision and methodological rigor are robust, successfully preventing the types of recurring errors or malpractice that might be more prevalent in its environment.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

The institution's Z-score for this indicator is 1.873, closely mirroring the national average of 1.821. This alignment points to a systemic pattern, where the risk level reflects shared practices or norms at a national level. However, the University's slightly higher score suggests it is more exposed to this risk than its peers. A certain level of self-citation is natural, but disproportionately high rates can signal scientific isolation or 'echo chambers.' This medium-risk value warns of potential endogamous impact inflation, suggesting that the institution's academic influence may be at risk of being oversized by internal dynamics rather than validated by broader global community recognition, a trend that warrants careful monitoring.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

The institution registers a Z-score of 2.876, a significant risk level that, while critical, is notably lower than the national average of 3.408. This suggests an attenuated alert; although the University is a global outlier in this practice, it demonstrates more control than the highly critical national context. A high proportion of publications in discontinued journals is a critical alert regarding due diligence in selecting dissemination channels. This Z-score indicates that a significant portion of scientific production is being channeled through media that do not meet international ethical or quality standards, exposing the institution to severe reputational risks and signaling an urgent need for enhanced information literacy to avoid wasting resources on 'predatory' or low-quality practices.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

The institution shows a Z-score of -1.031, which is lower than the national average of -0.938. This prudent profile indicates that the University manages its authorship processes with more rigor than the national standard. While extensive author lists are legitimate in 'Big Science,' a high Z-score outside these contexts can indicate author list inflation, diluting individual accountability. The University's low score is a positive signal, suggesting a healthy culture that distinguishes between necessary massive collaboration and questionable 'honorary' authorship practices, thereby upholding transparency and accountability.

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

With a Z-score of -0.732, the institution demonstrates a more prudent profile than the national average of -0.391. A low score in this indicator is a positive sign of sustainable research capacity. A wide positive gap can signal that an institution's prestige is dependent on external partners rather than its own structural capabilities. The University's low-risk score suggests that its scientific prestige is firmly rooted in its own internal capacity, as the impact of its overall output is strongly aligned with the impact of research where it exercises direct intellectual leadership, avoiding the risk of being merely a strategic partner in collaborations led by others.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

The institution's Z-score of -0.482 is almost identical to the national average of -0.484, indicating a state of statistical normality. The risk level is low and aligns perfectly with what is expected for its context and size. While high productivity can be a sign of leadership, extreme publication volumes can challenge the limits of meaningful intellectual contribution. The University's score shows no evidence of such extremes, suggesting a healthy balance between quantity and quality and an absence of risks like coercive authorship or the assignment of authorship without real participation.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

The institution has a Z-score of 1.347, placing it in the medium-risk category but significantly higher than the national average of 0.189. This indicates high exposure, suggesting the University is far more prone to this practice than its national peers. While in-house journals can be valuable, excessive dependence on them raises conflict-of-interest concerns, as the institution acts as both judge and party. This high Z-score warns of a pronounced risk of academic endogamy, where production might bypass independent external peer review. This practice could limit global visibility and may indicate the use of internal channels as 'fast tracks' to inflate CVs without standard competitive validation.

Rate of Redundant Output

The institution's Z-score of -0.282 is lower than the national average of -0.207, reflecting a prudent profile in this area. This indicates that the University manages its publication strategy with more rigor than the national standard. Massive bibliographic overlap between publications can indicate 'salami slicing,' where a study is fragmented to artificially inflate productivity. The University's low-risk score suggests its researchers are effectively avoiding this practice, prioritizing the publication of significant new knowledge over the distortion of scientific evidence for volume.