A whopping 50 million shillings (US$22,000) for a researcher in Tanzania who publishes in an international journal – why this approach is wrong?

The direct reason for paying US$22000 is to encourage rankings of local universities, an indirect reason is to improve research in Tanzania. If research ends up getting better in Tanzania, and therefore in Africa because of this gesture then that would be good news. However, this does not seem to be the case, and the gesture does not look sustainable at all.

What is good with this move?

Researchers are rewarded for their effort, and compensated for their contribution which is good.

What is wrong?

• Payment supports international journals and kills local publishing industries, and entrepreneurs.
• Tanzania needs to support research first, because a research result and report is more important than a journal article that results from it.
• International journals do not develop African research methods, they prioritise methods from western methods
• Payment benefits established researchers, and keeps emerging researchers down
• Tanzania needs to support research training, for example quality PhDs instead of waiting for scholarships
• Tanzania should prioritise use of research results, not to chase global rankings
• Rankings are not fair for African institutions, chasing them is a mirage
• Tanzania should not wait for donors to build research capacity, including ethics, it should support instead of chasing rankings. Donors come with their values and priorities

Suggested way forward

African countries should promote local research production, publishing and usage. With time, local researchers, institutions and publishers will have capacity to publish high quality research that competes globally. Universities must be supported to start, revive and grow local journals.