American University of the Middle East

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STRATEGIC VISION

The American University of the Middle East presents a profile of clear thematic leadership combined with a mixed performance in scientific integrity, as indicated by an overall risk score of 0.369. The institution demonstrates exemplary governance in specific areas, with very low-risk indicators for Rate of Multiple Affiliations and Rate of Output in Institutional Journals, suggesting robust internal policies that prevent affiliation inflation and academic endogamy. However, these strengths are contrasted by a significant alert in the Rate of Retracted Output and medium-level risks related to institutional self-citation, hyper-authorship, and publication in discontinued journals. According to SCImago Institutions Rankings data, this integrity profile underpins an institution with clear national dominance, ranking first in Kuwait across numerous disciplines including Engineering, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and Business, Management and Accounting. This strong disciplinary performance aligns with the goal of developing professional leaders. However, the identified integrity risks, particularly the high rate of retractions, directly challenge the mission's commitment to "global ethical values" and "high quality education." Unaddressed, these vulnerabilities could undermine the institution's reputation and the perceived value of its academic achievements. The American University of the Middle East is well-positioned to leverage its clear thematic strengths and areas of robust governance to implement targeted improvements. A strategic focus on reinforcing pre-publication quality controls and promoting a culture of research integrity will be crucial to ensure its practices fully align with its ambitious mission and national leadership role.

ANALYSIS BY INDICATOR

Rate of Multiple Affiliations

The institution's Z-score of -1.311 is in the very low-risk category, contrasting sharply with the national average of 0.735, which indicates a medium level of risk. This demonstrates a case of preventive isolation, where the university does not replicate the risk dynamics observed in its national environment. While multiple affiliations can be legitimate, disproportionately high rates often signal strategic attempts to inflate institutional credit. The university’s extremely low score suggests it has successfully established a governance framework that is independent of and more rigorous than the national standard, effectively preventing practices like “affiliation shopping” and ensuring clear and accurate attribution of its research output.

Rate of Retracted Output

With a significant-risk Z-score of 1.103, the institution's rate of retractions is notably higher than the country's medium-risk score of 0.808. This indicates an accentuation of risk, where the university amplifies vulnerabilities already present in the national system. Retractions are complex, but a rate significantly higher than the average alerts to a systemic vulnerability in the institution's integrity culture. This score suggests that quality control mechanisms prior to publication may be failing, indicating possible recurring malpractice or a lack of methodological rigor that requires immediate qualitative verification by management to protect the institution's scientific reputation.

Rate of Institutional Self-Citation

The institution exhibits a medium-risk Z-score of 0.504, representing a moderate deviation from the national average of -0.533 (low risk). This divergence suggests the university shows a greater sensitivity to risk factors associated with citation practices than its national peers. While a certain level of self-citation is natural, this elevated rate can signal concerning scientific isolation or 'echo chambers' where work is validated without sufficient external scrutiny. This value warns of the risk of endogamous impact inflation, suggesting that the institution's academic influence may be oversized by internal dynamics rather than by broader recognition from the global scientific community.

Rate of Output in Discontinued Journals

The institution's Z-score of 0.425 places it in the medium-risk category, which is lower than the country's average of 0.744, also at a medium-risk level. This reflects a differentiated management approach, where the university appears to moderate risks that are more common across the country. A high proportion of output in discontinued journals is a critical alert regarding due diligence in selecting publication venues. The institution's more controlled score suggests it is navigating this national challenge with greater care than its peers, though continued vigilance is necessary to avoid channeling resources into 'predatory' or low-quality media that pose severe reputational risks.

Rate of Hyper-Authored Output

With a medium-risk Z-score of 1.145, the institution shows a moderate deviation from the national low-risk average of -0.302. This discrepancy indicates that the university is more sensitive to authorship inflation than its peers. In fields outside of 'Big Science,' where extensive author lists are not standard, a high score can indicate a dilution of individual accountability and transparency. This serves as an important signal for the institution to distinguish between necessary massive collaboration and the potential for 'honorary' or political authorship practices that compromise research integrity.

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

The institution's low-risk Z-score of -0.094 demonstrates strong institutional resilience, especially when compared to the country's medium-risk score of 1.381. A wide positive gap, as seen at the national level, signals a sustainability risk where prestige is dependent on external partners. In contrast, the university's minimal gap suggests its scientific impact results from genuine internal capacity and intellectual leadership. This indicates a sustainable research model where excellence is structural and endogenous, not merely the result of strategic positioning in collaborations led by others.

Rate of Hyperprolific Authors

The institution's medium-risk Z-score of 0.395 indicates high exposure to this risk factor, as it is notably higher than the national medium-risk average of 0.113. This suggests the university is more prone to showing alert signals related to extreme individual productivity than its environment. While high output can reflect leadership, extreme volumes often challenge the limits of meaningful intellectual contribution. This elevated score alerts to potential imbalances between quantity and quality, pointing 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.

Rate of Output in Institutional Journals

With a Z-score of -0.268, the institution is perfectly aligned with the national average, both of which fall into the very low-risk category. This demonstrates integrity synchrony and a shared environment of maximum scientific security on this indicator. By avoiding excessive dependence on in-house journals, the university mitigates potential conflicts of interest and the risk of academic endogamy. This practice ensures its scientific production bypasses internal 'fast tracks' and is validated through independent external peer review, thereby safeguarding its global visibility and credibility.

Rate of Redundant Output (Salami Slicing)

The institution's low-risk Z-score of -0.128 showcases institutional resilience, standing in favorable contrast to the medium-risk national average of 0.644. This suggests that while the practice of dividing studies into minimal publishable units to inflate productivity may be a systemic issue in the country, the university has effective controls in place. A low rate of redundant output indicates a focus on publishing significant, coherent new knowledge rather than fragmented data. This responsible approach upholds the integrity of scientific evidence and avoids overburdening the peer-review system.