Yeungnam University

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

Yeungnam University presents a robust and generally healthy scientific integrity profile, with an overall score of -0.170 indicating performance aligned with global standards. The institution demonstrates significant strengths in maintaining very low-risk levels for multiple affiliations, retracted output, dependency on external collaborations for impact, and publications in institutional journals. These results reflect solid governance and a commitment to responsible research practices. However, this strong foundation is contrasted by a critical alert in the Rate of Hyperprolific Authors, which is an outlier both nationally and globally and requires immediate strategic attention. According to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, the university's academic strengths are particularly notable in areas such as Earth and Planetary Sciences (ranked 2nd in South Korea), Economics, Econometrics and Finance (10th), Social Sciences (10th), and Business, Management and Accounting (11th). The identified risk of hyperprolificity could undermine the institution's mission to foster "quality education" and "creative, personal growth," as it suggests a potential imbalance favouring publication volume over substantive contribution. To fully align its operational reality with its aspirational values of quality and trust, it is recommended that the university investigates the drivers of this authorship concentration and reinforces policies that promote equitable and meaningful scholarly contribution.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

With a Z-score of -0.976, which is even lower than the national average of -0.886, the institution demonstrates a complete absence of risk signals in this area. This indicates that its affiliation practices are exceptionally clear and transparent, showing no signs of strategic manipulation to inflate institutional credit. This "operational silence" suggests that researcher affiliations are managed with a high degree of integrity, reflecting legitimate collaborations rather than "affiliation shopping."

Rate of Retracted Output

The institution's Z-score of -0.616 signals a very low risk, contrasting favorably with the national average of -0.049, which shows a minor signal. This discrepancy suggests that Yeungnam University's pre-publication quality control mechanisms are particularly effective. A rate significantly lower than its peers indicates a strong integrity culture that successfully prevents the systemic methodological errors or potential malpractice that often lead to retractions, thereby safeguarding its scientific record and reputation.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

The university's Z-score of -0.039, while in the low-risk category, is slightly higher than the national average of -0.393. This subtle difference points to an incipient vulnerability that warrants monitoring. While a certain level of self-citation is natural, this slightly elevated rate could be an early indicator of a potential 'echo chamber,' where the institution's work is validated internally without sufficient external scrutiny. It is a minor signal that invites a review to ensure that the institution's academic influence is driven by global community recognition, not just internal dynamics.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

At -0.136, the institution's Z-score for this indicator is in the low-risk range but is higher than the national average of -0.217. This suggests a minor but noticeable tendency to publish in channels that may not meet international ethical or quality standards. This slight elevation serves as a reminder of the need for continuous reinforcement of due diligence and information literacy among researchers to avoid channeling valuable scientific work into 'predatory' or low-quality media, which poses a reputational risk.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

The institution exhibits a prudent profile with a Z-score of -1.035, significantly lower than the national average of -0.228. This demonstrates a more rigorous management of authorship practices compared to its national peers. The data suggests that the university effectively distinguishes between necessary large-scale collaborations and potential author list inflation, thereby promoting greater individual accountability and transparency in its research outputs.

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

With a Z-score of -1.609, the institution shows a very low-risk profile, performing better than the national average of -0.320. This excellent result indicates that the university's scientific prestige is structurally sound and built upon its own intellectual leadership. Unlike institutions that may depend heavily on external partners for impact, Yeungnam University demonstrates a strong internal capacity to produce high-impact research, signaling a sustainable and autonomous model of scientific excellence.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

The institution's Z-score of 3.204 represents a significant risk and a severe discrepancy when compared to the low-risk national average of -0.178. This atypical concentration of publications is a critical anomaly that requires an urgent and deep integrity assessment. Extreme individual publication volumes challenge the limits of human capacity for meaningful intellectual contribution and alert to potential imbalances between quantity and quality. This red flag points to risks such as coercive authorship or the assignment of authorship without real participation, dynamics that prioritize metrics over the integrity of the scientific record and demand immediate qualitative verification by management.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

The university's Z-score of -0.268 is almost identical to the national average of -0.252, placing both in the very low-risk category. This integrity synchrony demonstrates a shared commitment to seeking external validation for its research. By avoiding over-reliance on in-house journals, the institution mitigates potential conflicts of interest and academic endogamy, ensuring its scientific production undergoes independent peer review and achieves global visibility rather than using internal channels as 'fast tracks' for publication.

Rate of Redundant Output

With a Z-score of -0.391, the institution's risk level is low and statistically normal for its context, closely mirroring the national average of -0.379. This alignment indicates that the university's publication patterns are consistent with national standards. There are no significant signals of 'salami slicing' or the practice of fragmenting a coherent study into minimal units to artificially inflate productivity, suggesting that research is being communicated with an appropriate focus on substance over volume.