Abstract

The paper addresses the mass publication practices of scholars in Uzbekistan in predatory (fraudulent) journals. A significant proportion of the members of the editorial boards of these “journals” are also from Uzbekistan. Are the authorities fully aware of the consequences of the erosion of academic ethics among the scholarly and teaching community resulting from such practices? By being aware of the problem and turning a blind eye to it, the state—represented by its officials—effectively becomes complicit in such fraudulent activities.

Publications in predatory journals cause direct harm to the development of science in Uzbekistan and tarnish its international reputation.

The paper proposes a set of measures aimed at curbing the flow of publications by Uzbek scholars in predatory journals. It is necessary to:

- officially adopt Beall’s list as a primary reference for identifying predatory journals and establish a national list of “low-quality” or “non-academic” journals;

- conduct a comprehensive audit of the publications of Uzbek scholars;

- reassess the academic status of scholars in light of their publications in predatory journals; revoke previously granted bonuses and privileges awarded for articles published in such journals; prohibit counting such publications as valid scholarly output; and exclude membership in the editorial boards of predatory, fake, or hijacked journals from recognized academic achievements;

- treat participation in such journals as detrimental to the reputation of Uzbek scholars, and consider the profits derived from these activities as a form of fraud;

- compile a list of recognized international and national databases whose indexed journals (as well as monographs—especially substantial ones—book chapters, brochures, and presentations at international conferences) should be considered in dissertation defenses, academic evaluations, awards, and the allocation of benefits and allowances; establish a commission for journal evaluation and ranking;

- encourage national journals to seek inclusion in recognized international and national indexing databases;

- create an “Uzbek Science Citation Index” (UzSCI) and initiate cooperation with the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) to integrate these systems; further propose the creation of a CIS-wide bibliographic and abstract database, and subsequently, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an integrated Eurasian database (ESCI).