New Report: World Academies Call for Concerted Action to Combat Predatory Journals and Conferences

Note: A launch event for the report is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 Beginning at 1300 UTC/9 A.M. Eastern. Details and registration (free) can be accessed here.

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From the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP):

A new IAP report sets out recommendations for a global, systemic action plan to address these pervasive and damaging practices.

The research sector has become increasingly vulnerable to overt commercial predation.  As academic and publishing business models, research evaluation and peer-review systems continue to evolve, they are susceptible to exploitation and malpractice. Driven by profit and self-interest, the extent of this predation is on the rise. It risks polluting the global research enterprise, with serious implications for research quality and integrity; wasting research funding, derailing research careers, and compromising evidence-based policy decisions.

Today sees the release of a new report from the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) – the global network of over 140 science, engineering and medical academies.  This report is the culmination of a two-year study, Combatting Predatory Academic Journals and Conferences, funded by The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which has explored these practices more comprehensively and inclusively than any previously.

An international Working Group of diverse experts has conducted extensive desk research, heard evidence from key stakeholders, and run a unique global survey that engaged over 1800 researchers around the world to build a better understanding of what constitutes predatory academic practices, their prevalence and impact, tools and resources to avoid them, and the drivers or root causes enabling them to thrive.  The authors’ message is stark: predatory academic practices are rising at a concerning rate and require urgent attention.

“Predatory journals and conferences appear to be pervading all geographies, disciplines and academic career stages, with over 80% of respondents to our global survey indicating that they are already a problem or on the rise in their country of work”, said Susan Veldsman, Study Co-Chair. “We estimate that over 1 million researchers are likely to have used predatory outlets (largely unknowingly) at a cost of billions of dollars of wasted research. This is largely due to a lack of awareness and not knowing how to recognise what is predatory and what is not.  Training is both urgent and imperative.”

Learn More, Read the Publication Release

Direct to Full Text Report (English)
126 pages; PDF.

Direct to Summary Report (English)
26 pages; PDF.

Access Summary Report in Seven Languages

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