International publication: Significance and issues raised

Firstly, regarding quantity. In the 2012-2013 academic year, a total of 21 scientific works by the university's staff were published in international journals. In the three previous academic years (2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012), the number of internationally published works by the university's staff was 7, 11, and 18 respectively. Thus, the number of internationally published works this year is three times the number in the 2009-2010 academic year and nearly double the number in the 2010-2011 academic year.

Number of international publications by faculty members of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Secondly, regarding quality. Of the 21 scientific papers by the university's staff published internationally this year, six were published in journals listed in the ISI and Scopus databases. The journals listed in ISI (Institute of Scientific Information) and Scopus are prestigious scientific journals with a wide scientific influence. ISI was established in 1960 and has since become a reputable institute specializing in providing bibliographic data services. In particular, ISI publishes Journal Citation Reports annually, which statistically analyzes the impact factor of each journal. Currently, the total number of journals in the ISI catalog is 14,000. Meanwhile, Scopus is a database of abstracts and citations of articles published in scientific journals by Elsevier. This database includes 21,000 journal titles from over 5,000 different publishers, of which up to 20,000 are peer-reviewed scientific journals in all natural sciences. engineering, medicine, and social sciences.

It is noteworthy that, to date, Vietnam still does not have a single journal included in the ISI and SCOPUS databases, while Singapore has 80 journals, Malaysia 45, Thailand 26, the Philippines 12, and Indonesia 8. To be included in the ISI and SCOPUS lists, journals must have high scientific quality and undergo a rigorous evaluation process. For example, SCOPUS sets a series of very objective and scientific criteria. Minimum criteria include peer-reviewed articles, English abstracts, regular publication, a searchable index in Roman script, publishing ethics, and, importantly, a decision by an independent Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB). Maximum criteria also include journal policy, content quality, journal standing, and online up-to-date capabilities.

Having publications in journals indexed in ISI and Scopus is highly significant because these are the most important indicators of a university's standing and prestige worldwide. The more scientific works a university publishes in these journals, the higher its ranking. Therefore, we understand why Vietnam does not have a single university in the top 500 universities in the world.

With six articles published in ISI and Scopus-indexed journals by faculty members during the 2012-2013 academic year, we can initially be confident in our capabilities. However, we also recognize the importance of international publications and the challenges ahead. One thing is certain: we must be determined, invest more, and implement more measures for quality scientific research, contributing to the successful development of an excellent research university in Vietnam.

Appendix: List of 6 publications by faculty members of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in the academic year 2012-2013 published in ISI and Scopus journals: