Despite Challenges, Scientific Research Improves in Post-Apartheid South
Africa, According to Thomson Reuters Analysis

    


    
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<p><span class="xn-location">PHILADELPHIA</span> and <span class="xn-location">LONDON</span>, <span class="xn-chron">May 27</span> /CNW/ -- Since the end of apartheid in 1994, <span class="xn-location">South Africa</span> has increased both its research output and its scientific collaboration with other countries.</p>
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<p>In the May/June issue of Science Watch, Thomson Reuters assesses South Africa's research performance using its National Science Indicators, which tracks publication and citation statistics for more than 180 countries.</p>
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<p>Science Watch last examined the state of research in <span class="xn-location">South Africa</span> in <span class="xn-chron">March 1995</span>. As noted then, the country's scientific profile reflected its isolation from the world community: it was not well-represented in published papers and the research it conducted was not highly cited.</p>
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<p>While <span class="xn-location">South Africa</span> continues to face problems including a lack of research policy leadership and inadequate funding for scientific research, its number of published papers and citation impact in various fields has climbed steadily.</p>
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<p>In 1989, <span class="xn-location">South Africa</span> published approximately 3,300 papers. This number surpassed 6,600 in 2008. Meanwhile, its collaboration with authors from other countries increased. For example, South African researchers co-authored 1,700 papers with researchers in the <span class="xn-location">United States</span> from 1994 to 1998 -- and nearly 5,000 from 2004 to 2008.</p>
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<p>Science Watch also examined South Africa's share of the world's scientific output across 21 fields. The country's largest share was in the field of Plant & Animal Sciences where it contributed 1.55 percent of the world's output.</p>
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<p><span class="xn-location">South Africa</span> beat the world average for citations-per-paper in several fields, including Computer Science, Environment/Ecology, Space Science, Immunology and Clinical Medicine. This is a huge difference from the pattern seen in 1995, when South Africa's impact figures bested the world average in only one field, Agricultural Sciences.</p>
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<p><span class="xn-location">South Africa</span> has by far the greatest research output of any country on the African continent.</p>
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<p>"In assessing South Africa's research output, we were pleased to see such marked improvement both in output and in its collaborative efforts," said <span class="xn-person">Christopher King</span>, editor of Science Watch.  "By increasing its impact on scientific research, the country is poised to become a key player in the global research community."</p>
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<p>For the full article analyzing South Africa's recent research performance, visit <a href="http://www.ScienceWatch.com">www.ScienceWatch.com</a>.</p>
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