University research productivity in Cambodia: An analysis of Scopus-indexed publications

Abstract

Recent decades have seen resources and efforts invested in increasing university research productivity in Asian countries to enhance universities' competitiveness in global university rankings and participate in the global knowledge-based economy. In Cambodia, the government and many higher education institutions (HEIs) have also implemented different initiatives to build research capacity and boost research output. However, university research productivity in Cambodia remains an understudied topic. Drawing on bibliometric data extracted from the Scopus database, this chapter aims to measure Cambodian university research productivity by analysing the total number of Scopus-indexed publications produced by Cambodian HEIs over the last two decades between 1999 and 2019. The analysis, in general, shows a gradual increase in the total number of publications. However, such an increase is primarily confined to specific fields and a few public institutions whose research is subject to donor agencies and individual faculty members' commitment. The chapter highlights the insignificant and piecemeal nature of university research productivity in Cambodia and argues for a reassessment of university roles and leadership in building research capacity to enhance research productivity and clarify academic research directions in the country.