The editors of the research journals of the University of Karachi termed that the existing practices of the Higher Education Commission regarding the journal publications are ‘confusing’.
They objected the HEC publication policies during a meeting which was held at the KU Vice Chancellor’s Council Room. The meeting was chaired by the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi and coordinated by Professor Dr Farah Iqbal.
The editors of the research journals published by various departments of the University of Karachi were invited to the meeting to bring the issues and problems they faced while working on their respective research journals in the knowledge of the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi.
During the meeting, Dr Farah Iqbal brought it to the knowledge of all editors and participants of the meeting that existing practices of the HEC regarding Journal Publication is confusing as it does not provide clear guidance about the implementation of the HEC policy either the HEC is implementing it on an issue basis or volume basis.
She observed that although policies were notified to be implemented on a yearly basis but the HEC implemented on an issue basis creates confusion. She said that the editors of the journal must ensure not to publish articles from the same self-institution as per the guideline of the HEC. Dr Farah Iqbal informed them that as a result of noncompliance of it the HEC may derecognize the journal.
Meanwhile, the editors of the journals requested the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi to call the HEC representative for a meeting with the editors of the journals, so that they can share this issue to them. The editor of the journals discusses that some journals have complied with the HEC policy but the HEC erroneously reviewed their journal and derecognized them.
The meeting also discussed that the journal of pharmacy department has a prominent impact factor and is listed in a Web of Sciences but the HEC has degraded its category. Despite sending email to the HEC response is not given on it yet.
The editors shared that the HEC has not informed the journal editor about the decision and issued a list without their consent. They expressed that the HEC must take consent from editors before delisting their journals.
On request of the editors, the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi announced that University will ask the HEC to send their representative to the University of Karachi to hear issues of the editors.
During the meeting, the editors also requested the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi for the facility of Digital Object Identifier (DOI) which is a basic requirement for indexing in Directory of Open Access Journals that prepare database of all open access journals of the world and Scopus.
On this occasion, the technical support person for journals, Dr Ammad Zafar informed the meeting that the University of Karachi has purchased the DOI service from Crossref that will be distributed to journals without any cost.
He shared that the annual membership of Crossref DOI has already been taken by the KU. Dr Ammad Zafar mentioned that the credential of Crossref will be shared with all journals at their request.
During the meeting, the KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi shared copies of the Global Journal of Management and Administrative Science and informed the members of the meeting that it has been recognized by the HEC.
The Global Journal for Management and Administrative Sciences is a research publication of the Department of Public Administration and publishes the article under the chief editorship of Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi and editorship of Dr Syed Shahid Zaheer.
Dr Ammad Zafar, who is also the advisor to the department’s journal, said that this journal has published three issues so far and the HEC has rewarded the Y category to it from July 1, 2021. He shared that the Journal is indexed with many national and international indexing agencies.
The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi urge to the editors of the journals for the indexing of their journals with Web of Sciences and Scopus in order to improve the HEC category
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