The Contribution of South Africa to Intra-Africa International Research Partnerships

The Contribution of South Africa to Intra-Africa International Research Partnerships

Vuyani Lingela and Mapule Degama
Department of Science and Technology; Postal Address: Private Bag X894, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Tel: +27 12 843 6517; Fax: +27 86 681 0051; Email: Vuyani.Lingela@dst.gov.za

Introduction The purpose of this paper is to examine the contribution of South Africa to scientific knowledge production within Africa, as well as to examine the intensity of international research partnerships between South Africa and other African countries. In order to examine the research contribution of South Africa, data on the number of publications produced by researchers in 55 African countries and the number of times they were cited between 1981 and 2011 were obtained from InCites1. In order to analyse the intensity of the international research partnerships, the number of co-authored publications between researchers in South Africa and those in other African countries were examined. Results and discussion The total number of publications produced by each African country (excluding South Africa) and the total number of publications each country has co-authored with South Africa are presented in Figure 1. The results indicate that although Egypt produced more publications (77 235) than Nigeria (36 146), Kenya (17 787), Zimbabwe (5 813) and Namibia (1 229) between 1981 and 2011, Nigeria (796), Kenya (699), Zimbabwe (707) and Namibia (469) coauthored more publications with South Africa than Egypt (185). Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, which produced more publications than most African countries such as Uganda, Botswana and Tanzania, have co-authored fewer publications with South Africa than most African countries. These results indicate that Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Namibia account for most joint publications with South Africa among African countries. It should be noted that the top 7 African countries (Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, Uganda, Botswana and Tanzania) that have co-authored most publications with South Africa have English as their official language or as one of their official languages. On the other hand, four of the top 7 knowledge producing African countries (Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria), whose official language is Arabic, are among the countries that have co-authored fewer publications with South Africa. These results suggest that South African researchers tend to collaborate more with researchers in English speaking African countries than with researchers in Arabic speaking African countries. This observation is more pronounced in the case of South Africas international research partnership with Egypt. The number of publications produced by the top 7 knowledge producing African countries and the number of times they were cited between 1981 and 2011 are presented in Figure 2. The 32.0% (129 382) share of publications produced by South Africa, as a percentage of the total number of publications produced by 55 African countries, illustrates the dominant position of South Africa in scientific knowledge production in Africa. South Africa is followed by Egypt, which produced 19.1% (77 235) of publications produced by 55 African countries. Nigeria produced 8.9% (36 146), Tunisia produced 5.7% (23 017), Morocco produced 5.1% (20 493), Kenya produced 4.4% (17 787) and Algeria produced 3.8% (15 551). The results presented in Figure 2 indicate that South Africa has produced scientific publications that have been cited much more often than those produced by other African

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countries between 1981 and 2011. South Africa has received a 39.6% (1 406 235) share of citations from its publications as a percentage of the total number of citations received from publications produced by 55 African countries. South Africa is followed by Egypt and Nigeria, which received 13.3% (473 201) and 5.3% (189 259), respectively, of the citations received by 55 African countries. Tunisia received 3.4% (121 235), Morocco received 3.8% (136 412), Kenya received 6.8% (241 575) and Algeria received 2.4% (86 504).

900

Publications co-authored with South Africa

Nigeria

800
Zimbabwe

700
Kenya

600 500
Namibia

400 300 200 100

Tunisia Algeria Uganda Botswana Tanzania Zambia & Malawi Cameroon Ethiopia Ghana Mozambique Egypt Morocco

0 0 Number of publications per country

Figure 1. Total number of publications and publications co-authored with South Africa

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

2.4% 6.8% 3.8% 4.4% 3.8%

South Africa
5.1%

Egypt
3.4% 32.0% 5.7%

Nigeria Tunisia
5.3% 39.6%

Morocco
8.9%

Kenya Algeria
19.1% 13.3%

Figure 2. Number of publications (inside) and citations (outside) between 1981 and 2011

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Nigeria

Kenya

Namibia

Zimbabwe

Publications co-authored with SA

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

Geosciences

Veterinary Sciences

Psychiatry/Psychology

Environment/Ecology Social Sciences, general Plant & Animal Science

Mathematics

Microbiology

Multidisciplinary

Immunology Agricultural Sciences

Neuroscience & Behavior

Molecular Biology & Genetics

Engineering

Arts & Humanities

Chemistry

Computer Science

Economics & Business

Materials Science

Physics

Figure 3. Total number of publications co-authored with South Africa per subject area Figure 3 shows that most joint publications with four of South Africas dominant African research partners were in clinical medicine (21.5%), plant and animal science (11.6%), environment/ecology (7.6%), social sciences (7.5%) and immunology (6.5%). Together, the five subject areas accounted for 54.7% of joint publications with the four partner countries. It should be noted, however, that South Africa produced most joint publications in chemistry (77.0%) and space science (88.2%) with researchers in Nigeria and Namibia, respectively. Conclusions This paper shows that South Africa is a leading scientific knowledge producer in Africa. It also shows that, South African researchers tend to collaborate more with researchers in English speaking African countries than with researchers in Arabic speaking African countries. It should be noted, however, that South Africas intra-Africa international research activities are very limited compared to its vast international research activities with countries outside the African continent2. It should be interesting to know whether these trends do or do not mirror South Africas intra-Africa trade relations. It is important for South Africa, as a leading scientific knowledge producer in Africa, to play an active role in promoting intraAfrica international research partnerships. Funding for intra-Africa international research partnerships should be prioritized to promote intra-Africa scientific knowledge production. References

1. InCitesTM, Thomson Reuters (2012). Report Created: 15 and 16 Oct 2012. Data
Processed Dec 31, 2011. Data Source: Web of Science. 2. Lingela V. (2011), Knowledge generation through international research partnerships: Implications for South Africas international technology transfer efforts. Conference on Higher Education in South Africa. East London, South Africa, 22-24 November 2011.

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Biology & Biochemistry

Pharmacology & Toxicology

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Clinical Medicine

Space Science