| Indicator | University Z-score | Average country Z-score |
|---|---|---|
|
Multi-affiliation
|
0.097 | 0.431 |
|
Retracted Output
|
-0.503 | -0.156 |
|
Institutional Self-Citation
|
-1.112 | -0.509 |
|
Discontinued Journals Output
|
-0.370 | -0.380 |
|
Hyperauthored Output
|
-0.257 | 0.181 |
|
Leadership Impact Gap
|
-1.151 | -0.016 |
|
Hyperprolific Authors
|
-0.354 | -0.414 |
|
Institutional Journal Output
|
-0.268 | -0.268 |
|
Redundant Output
|
-0.846 | -0.114 |
Atlantic Technological University demonstrates a robust scientific integrity profile, reflected in an overall risk score of -0.446, which indicates performance significantly stronger than the global average. The institution exhibits exceptional control over its research practices, with the vast majority of indicators falling into the 'Very Low' or 'Low' risk categories. Key strengths include a near-zero rate of retracted output, minimal institutional self-citation, and a negligible gap between its collaborative impact and the impact of its own led research, signaling true intellectual leadership. The only area requiring attention is a moderate rate of multiple affiliations, a common pattern in the national context which the university manages more effectively than its peers. According to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, this strong governance underpins excellence in key thematic areas, particularly in Chemistry (ranked 2nd in Ireland), Environmental Science (5th), and Earth and Planetary Sciences (8th). This commitment to ethical and transparent research directly supports the university's mission to foster "innovative research" and develop "knowledgeable and skilled graduates." By maintaining such high standards of integrity, the institution ensures its contributions are credible and impactful, reinforcing its role as a provider of a "transformative university experience" and a responsible global citizen. The university is encouraged to maintain these exemplary standards while examining its collaboration strategies to ensure they continue to align with its core mission of transparent knowledge creation.
The institution presents a Z-score of 0.097, while the national average for Ireland is 0.431. Although this indicator falls within a medium-risk band for both the university and the country, the institution demonstrates a more controlled approach. This suggests a differentiated management strategy that moderates a risk that appears more common at the national level. While multiple affiliations can arise from legitimate partnerships, disproportionately high rates can signal strategic attempts to inflate institutional credit. The university’s lower score indicates that its collaborative practices are less prone to these risks than the national trend, reflecting a more measured and potentially more transparent engagement in co-authorship networks.
With a Z-score of -0.503, the institution exhibits a 'Very Low' risk profile, which is notably stronger than Ireland's national score of -0.156 ('Low' risk). This excellent result points to a consistent and effective system of quality control. Retractions can sometimes result from honest error correction, but a rate significantly below the norm, as seen here, strongly suggests that the institution's pre-publication review and methodological supervision are robust. This absence of risk signals, which surpasses the already low national standard, is a clear indicator of a healthy integrity culture where potential issues are addressed before they compromise the scientific record.
The institution's Z-score for this indicator is -1.112, an exceptionally low value that places it well below the national average of -0.509. This demonstrates a profound level of integration with the global scientific community and an absence of insular research practices. A certain degree of self-citation is normal, but the university's very low rate effectively dismisses any concern of it operating within an 'echo chamber' or artificially inflating its impact through endogamous validation. This result confirms that the institution's academic influence is earned through broad external recognition, not internal citation dynamics.
The university's Z-score of -0.370 is almost identical to the national average of -0.380, showing perfect alignment with a national environment of maximum security in this area. This integrity synchrony indicates that the institution's researchers exercise excellent due diligence in selecting publication channels. A high proportion of output in such journals would be a critical alert for reputational risk and wasted resources. The university's very low score confirms its commitment to disseminating research through reputable media that meet international ethical and quality standards, safeguarding its scientific contributions.
The institution maintains a 'Low' risk profile with a Z-score of -0.257, contrasting with Ireland's 'Medium' risk level (Z-score of 0.181). This demonstrates institutional resilience, suggesting that internal control mechanisms are successfully mitigating a systemic risk more prevalent at the national level. While extensive author lists are legitimate in 'Big Science', their appearance elsewhere can signal authorship inflation. The university's ability to keep this rate low indicates effective policies that uphold individual accountability and transparency, acting as a filter against the national trend toward potentially diluted authorship credit.
With a Z-score of -1.151, the institution shows an exceptionally small gap, a result significantly better than the national average of -0.016. This is a powerful indicator of scientific autonomy and internal strength. A wide gap often suggests that an institution's prestige is dependent on external partners rather than its own structural capacity. The university's outstanding score demonstrates that its high-impact research is largely driven by its own intellectual leadership, confirming that its excellence is homegrown and sustainable, not merely a reflection of strategic positioning in collaborations led by others.
The institution's Z-score of -0.354 is slightly higher than the national average of -0.414, although both fall within the 'Low' risk category. This minor difference suggests an incipient vulnerability that warrants monitoring before it escalates. While high productivity can be legitimate, extreme publication volumes challenge the limits of meaningful intellectual contribution and can signal imbalances between quantity and quality. The university's slightly elevated rate, relative to the national norm, serves as a constructive signal to review internal incentive structures and ensure they do not inadvertently encourage practices that prioritize metrics over the integrity of the scientific record.
The institution's Z-score of -0.268 is identical to the national score for Ireland, indicating complete alignment with a secure national environment. This integrity synchrony reflects a healthy balance in publication strategy, avoiding over-reliance on internal channels. Excessive use of in-house journals can create conflicts of interest and academic endogamy, bypassing independent peer review. The university's very low score confirms its commitment to global visibility and competitive validation, ensuring its research is scrutinized and recognized by the broader international community.
The university achieves an excellent Z-score of -0.846, indicating a 'Very Low' risk of salami slicing, a performance significantly stronger than the national 'Low' risk score of -0.114. This demonstrates a clear institutional commitment to publishing substantive and coherent research. High rates of bibliographic overlap can indicate the practice of fragmenting studies into minimal units to inflate publication counts, which distorts scientific evidence. The institution's exceptionally low score suggests a culture that prioritizes significant new knowledge over volume, thereby upholding the integrity of its research and contributing responsibly to the scientific literature.
