Rot of research incentives

Tamar Kahn’s article on predatory publishing in SA academia, based on the work of Crest researchers at Stellenbosch, gives welcome attention to a major problem in our universities (“Local Researchers are Gaming Government’s Subsidy System”, April 29). However, like the presentation on which it is based, it does not go anywhere near far enough.

The suggestion is that the department of higher education & training must tighten the way in which incentives are provided for publication.

The elephant in the room is the effect predatory publications have already had in institutions. Notably, many academics have been appointed or promoted — some at the level of full professor — on the basis of such publications. Why should those individuals not be demoted or fired? They are either grossly incompetent or grossly unethical — either of which would normally warrant action.

The second problem is that the Crest work is funded by the department and appears to receive privileged data access. It is therefore unsurprising that it absolves the department incentive policy from a role in creating a shameful culture of avarice in our universities.

I have argued elsewhere that the department incentive creates a culture of rent-seeking that is profoundly at odds with the building of quality academic institutions in the democratic era. The time for fiddling at the seams is over: we need rapid, serious action before the rot becomes too entrenched and reproduces itself.

Seán Muller Via e-mail