Internationalisation of the Estonian research system through the lens of bibliometric indicators: criticism and policy recommendations
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2024-04-19
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Abstract
Doktoritöös uuritakse teaduse mõjukust bibliomeetria vaatenurgast, mõõtes teadustööde arvu ning viidete hulka. Töö keskne eesmärk on lahti harutada Eesti teaduse „pusle“ – mõjukuse kasv vaatamata piiratud teadus- ja arendustegevuse rahastamisele. Eesti märkimisväärsed numbrid teaduspublikatsioonide viidatavuses on pälvinud tähelepanu mitte ainult kohalikul tasandil, vaid leidnud kajastust ka prestiižikas üleilmses teadusajakirjas Nature. Seal rõhutatakse, kuidas Eesti on edukalt suutnud tänu rahvusvahelise toetuse ja tõhusate riiklike strateegiate abil kiiresti oma teadusmaastikku muuta, luues inspireeriva pretsedendi teistele, kes soovivad teha sama. Rahvusvahelistumine kerkib selles kontekstis esile kui potentsiaalne pusletükk. Tulemused näitavad tugevat seost rahvusvahelise koostöö ja viidatavuse vahel, seda nii suure kui ka väikese uurimissüsteemiga riikides. Rahvusvahelistes konsortsiumites osalemine on koostöö erivorm, mis avaldab olulist mõju väikeriikide viidatavusele nagu Eesti, Küpros ja Island. Kuigi teadusuuringud konsortsiumites suurendavad oluliselt viidete arvu, tuleb meeles pidada, et suurem osa sellest on kunstlik, sest nendes töödes ulatub kaasautorite arv tuhandetesse. Massautorluse fenomen on ka Eesti teaduse pusle kõige suurem tükk, mis mõjutab enim loodusteadusi ja meditsiini. Lisaks eelmainitule toovad tulemused välja välisrahastuse olulisuse – Euroopa Liidu rahastatud uurimuste raames tehtav rahvusvaheline koostöö on ulatuslikum ning viidatavus kõrgem võrreldes riiklikult rahastatuga. Nende tulemuste valguses on soovituslik jätkata aktiivset osalemist rahvusvahelistes teadusuuringutes, jätkata rahastuse taotlemist Euroopa Liidu raamprogrammidest ning ümberhinnata bibliomeetriliste pingeridade koostamise metoodika võtmaks arvesse massautorlust.
In this doctoral dissertation, the impact of science is explored from a bibliometric perspective, measuring the number of research publications and citations. The main goal is to unravel the puzzle of Estonian science – its growth in citation impact despite limited research and development funding. Estonia’s remarkable numbers of publication citations have gained attention not only locally but have also been featured in the prestigious journal, Nature. This emphasises how Estonia has successfully and rapidly transformed its scientific landscape, thanks to international support and effective national strategies, setting an inspiring precedent for others aiming to do the same. Internationalisation emerges as a potential piece in the puzzle. The results reveal a strong association between international collaboration and citation impact, applicable to both large and small research systems. Participation in international consortia is a specific form of collaboration that significantly impacts citation rates for smaller countries like Estonia, Cyprus, and Iceland. While research conducted in consortia significantly increases citation counts, it is important to note that a substantial proportion of these citations is artificial, given the high number of co-authors involved. The phenomenon of mass authorship is also the most significant piece of Estonia’s science puzzle, particularly affecting the natural sciences and medicine. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of foreign funding – research conducted under European Union funded projects involves more extensive international collaboration and yields higher citation rates compared to nationally funded research. In light of these results, it is recommended to continue active participation in international research, actively seek funding from European Union Framework Programmes, and reconsider the methodology for constructing bibliometric rankings that take mass authorship into consideration.
In this doctoral dissertation, the impact of science is explored from a bibliometric perspective, measuring the number of research publications and citations. The main goal is to unravel the puzzle of Estonian science – its growth in citation impact despite limited research and development funding. Estonia’s remarkable numbers of publication citations have gained attention not only locally but have also been featured in the prestigious journal, Nature. This emphasises how Estonia has successfully and rapidly transformed its scientific landscape, thanks to international support and effective national strategies, setting an inspiring precedent for others aiming to do the same. Internationalisation emerges as a potential piece in the puzzle. The results reveal a strong association between international collaboration and citation impact, applicable to both large and small research systems. Participation in international consortia is a specific form of collaboration that significantly impacts citation rates for smaller countries like Estonia, Cyprus, and Iceland. While research conducted in consortia significantly increases citation counts, it is important to note that a substantial proportion of these citations is artificial, given the high number of co-authors involved. The phenomenon of mass authorship is also the most significant piece of Estonia’s science puzzle, particularly affecting the natural sciences and medicine. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of foreign funding – research conducted under European Union funded projects involves more extensive international collaboration and yields higher citation rates compared to nationally funded research. In light of these results, it is recommended to continue active participation in international research, actively seek funding from European Union Framework Programmes, and reconsider the methodology for constructing bibliometric rankings that take mass authorship into consideration.
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