The current crisis of academia-led research: a threat to the common good? Preliminary data from Europe and the United States

Abstract

Objective This research note aimed to analyze the scientific productivity trends 2015–2019, focusing on the top 30 universities in Europe and United States and on the top 30 private companies—as classified in the SCImago Institutions Ranking. Our hypothesis is that private companies are gaining an increasingly prominent role in the research field, while academia is losing its predominance. Results From 2015 to 2019, all universities in Europe and the United States lost positions in the scientific production ranking, while private companies gained positions. These trends seem to be driven mainly by the scientific productivity sub-indicator “Innovation”. These data suggest that the role private companies will play in the future will not be limited to support research economically or influence it from “outside”. Private companies have taken a path that may lead them to directly control all stages of production/communication of knowledge, including research—a role once bestowed on universities. Our data, although preliminary, seem to suggest that, at present, academia risks losing its predominance in the research field. This scenario deserves attention because of the threats it may pose to the independence of research and its role in supporting human equity and sustainable health for all.

The Trend of Scientific Productivity of Chinese, European Union and United States Universities and Private Companies: Does the Future Belong to E-Technology Companies?

“…The aim was to develop a methodology for future research. However, the results suggested that academia might lose its role in competing with internet-related private bodies which are gaining relevance [1]. These suggestions were not in agreement with the results of a recent study [3] that showed private companies not directly interested in investing in research, but rather appeared to take advantage of university research work.…”

“…A preliminary study [1] analyzed the trends of scientific productivity from 2015 to 2019 of the top 30 private companies and top universities according to the SCImago Institutions Ranking [2]. The aim was to develop a methodology for future research.…”

“…The purpose of this work is to verify trends in international research from 2010 to 2020, considering the best 30 universities of the United States of America, China and the European Union (the three major economic powers in the world) and to compare this trend with that of the best 30 private companies, in agreement with the SCImago 2020 ranking of scientific productivity [2]. Unlike the aforementioned preliminary research [1], this study will conduct a detailed analysis of all the sub-indicators considered by the SCImago ranking and will employ an adequate nonparametric analysis that will allow consideration of the effect of both time and group factors on rankings.…”