Inventory and Regularity of Annals Publications of Lubumbashi Higher Institute for Statistics (Dr. Congo) from 1990 to 2015 ()
1. Introduction
Science is the result of scientists’ research. This science progresses over time and with the work of scientists and researchers. Thus the second half of the twentieth century has been qualified as “Age of Science”. Within the scientific community, information essentially passes through scientific publications. These publications now occupy a prominent place in the research. They constitute the very purpose of scientific research as a researcher is usually assessed by his publications [1] .
Scientific communication and research are closely interrelated and even complementary. But it is not enough that the scientist communicates research results to other scientists in one form or another (for example oral communication in a seminar or conference). He must publish the results because “without publication, science is dead” [2] .
Because written communication occupies a more and more important place in the scientific community, researchers must publish their results and research methods because the publishing operation is the very purpose of scientific research. Indeed, in the preface of his book, R. Day (1989) reports that scientists who begin their careers as students are evaluated neither by their skill laboratory manipulations (no one can know that unless their directors) nor their knowledge on a particular subject and certainly not by their charm. They are evaluated and become known through their publications [3] .
The evaluation of Universities and Higher Institutes based on informetric criteria is now a reality. Institutional evaluation of researchers and scientific activity is based on the volume of scientific publications and the number of citations they receive. This indicator is important in a context of global competition, where the Universities and High Schools need a ranking of their researchers to have a better international positioning, based on their reputation in scientific databases.
Bibliometrics help the university authorities to measure the activity of the scientific production of their researchers, to define emerging research themes, and to position themselves both nationally and internationally [4] . Scientific production is an important indicator and factor of human development of a country. The objective of this study is to inventory the scientific production of the Higher Institute of Statistics and evaluate the regularity of the Annals of the latter.
2. Methodology and Results
We used the literature review. Through this review, we identified scientific publications in the various annals of the Stattistics Higher Institute of Lubumbash from 1990 to 2015. For articles published in a team in this study, only the man author was considered.
The first results that we have registered concern author names, article titles, numbers of articles published in the annals of the ISS from 1990 to 2015.
This Table 1 is rich in information. It first shows that the records did not appear every year. Note that there is a regularity in the early years and a disap-
Sources: Annals of the Higher Institute of Statistics of Lubumbashi
pearance of the records of more than seven years. A resumption of publications occurred around the years 1998 and 1999 followed by a disappearance of a period of more than four years.
Another finding that emerges from this Table 2 concern the number of articles per year from 4 to 24 with an average publication of approximately 7 items per year. The years 2004 and 2015 were, as indicated in this Table II, the least productive with 4 items. But it should be noted that there was an irregularity in the publication of the review of this institution from 1991 to 1998 but also from 2010 to 2015.
It appears from this Table 3 that 26 internal researchers published their works in the annals of the Higher Institute of Statistics since its inception. In addition, Table III showed that the majority has produced only one article. But there are authors who have made exception as Sumba Chenge, Nguba Mundala and Dikasa Engondo with four articles each followed by Bope Bushebu who has three items. Economic, statistical and computing domains were the most requested.
This Table 4 showed that the Annals of the statistic Higher Institute of Lubumbashi has an echo outside. Note that 35 external researchers were able to publish 46 items. Regarding productivity Kabika Etobo achieved the most high number of articles, (three). Six other Tshiondo Shampa Manya Tsheko, Malizuku Okungu, Lwandu MutebaJhon, Kapinga Ilunga and Bavweza Munsana have published two per each. While others appear each with a single publication.
3. Discussion
This study was performed on the database of Lubumbashi ISS annals which includes a body of 92 scientific articles by 61 research professors. Analysis of these data has produced the first scientific production evaluation indicators of this university.
![]()
Table 2. Number of articles published per year from 1990 to 2015.
Sources: Annals of the Higher Institute of Statistics of Lubumbashi.
![]()
Table 3. Internal authors, fields, numbers and years of publication.
Sources: Annals of the Higher Institute of Statistics of Lubumbashi.
1) This table thus brings some irregularity in publishing annales. This paradoxical situation may have several explanation factors namely: product failures accused by the leaders of the research center and the journal. These are the positions that are not paid, therefore do not show advantage; these not motivated responsible prefer to dedicate their time and energies to extra-professional activities which bring some things to the menager budget. Indeed precariousness and condition of life brings the population to multiply, diversify the activities that generate income for the household [5] .
![]()
Table 4. External authors, fields, numbers and years of publication.
Sources: Annals of the Higher Institute of Statistics of Lubumbashi.
2) The higher institute of statistics are not well supplied with provided and specialised library, this characterizes the institutions of higher education and university in the Democratic Republic of Congo [6] , the lack of a provided library constitutes a disincentive factor.
3) The living conditions of precariousness condemning the researcher to publish only when they are in need of a promotion. The few means available is spent on household survival where they are leaders. This feature is the basis of disappearance of research culture. People are moved by the spirit of survival. We must try to ensure the survival of the household rather than devote to research. This latter (reseach) becomes an unnecessary luxury. It should be noted that the state bears a heavy responsibility regarding radiation of the research. It is since the year 1980 that the public can no longer disponibilise required means to allow the upper educational institutions and university to make research.
4) These establishments operate only thanks to the fees paid by students. Research has not the place in the use of this money more; there is no policy of the state to encourage partnerships with private companies. It is the combination of these factors which carries a mortal blow to the research in high educational institutions and university, not just in the upper statistical institute but in all the democratic republic of Congo.
In addition to these factors listed, let us add other factors like: lack of supervision. Junior researchers (assistant and head of research) are deprived of appropriate supervision of seignor researcher (professors) who pass the bulk of their bread in remunerative Activities.
In short lethargy observed in the publication of annals has its main cause from the deterioration of living conditions, working condition. The irregularity in the publication of the annals of this period of study is obvious. This aspect can be explained firstly by the fact that probably the vast majority of researchers of this institution have not deposited their research works in these records, but they are ready to do so if they are accompanied by their institution. Second, we believe that some researchers of higher institute of statistics published in other journals for the following reasons: faster process, acceptance criteria of items less rigid, making the institution’s journal suffers from lack of submission. However the researchers of this institution should be aware that the valuation of the research activity inevitably involves scientific journals and we know how important it is for researchers to publish in the most respected journals in their discipline, which does not exist in the city of Lubumbashi.
According to the study conducted by Hanae, the number of publications had increased significantly in their study and this increase was related to a strong relationship with the recruitment of a significant number of assistants in the emergency program “2009-2013” for the reform of higher education [7] . But the regularity in the publication of Kamina University annals resulted in the tremendous work that the scientific committee of the journal lamp to increase the image of their institution. It was it which, together with the quality of the records, partly justify the interest of outside researchers vis-à-vis the journal of the University of Kamina [8] .
The results of internal publications authors have placed on top three most productive sectors namely economic, statistical and computing. This can be explained by the different options organized by this institution. Note that the magazine, is the one that especially vehicle research results, it is indeed not only a mediator object, but also the instance of setting visibility pipes investigations, and therefore their evaluation, and the evaluation of their authors. Thus it is also invested mediation instance of a political and social role to affirm both the positioning of researchers and discipline in a context where it is always difficult to place.
While most researchers have stopped looking after one or two publications is that the main reason behind their production was not looking for a new knowledge or practice, the benefit of the community, to those already existing, but rather looking for a promotion as the transition from the grade of assistant to that of head of research. Once installed in his new chair, former researcher would block the source of its productions. To better explain the value of an article and its place in the career of a researcher Devillard cites in his thesis that “academia is linked closely to the traditional academic reward system ... which means that in terms of career advancement a published article has much more value than an experienced business executive [9] .
So to advance its research and be known by the scientific community, a researcher must publish and inform others of what he is doing and what he works. He must publish at all stages of research and not wait until they come to the end. According to Devillard & Marco (for career, each basic researcher is obliged to publish the results of his work) [10] .
So to fight against this scientific lethargy found on the part of our researchers, some strategies can be recommended. Besides on this, the ministerial guardianship had given specific directions inviting the scientist researcher not to work on his own, but to closely link his services to the company’s foundation in which he unfolds [11] [12] .
4. Conclusions
The visibility setting is essential to enable scientific advances since research builds on the work that preceded it. Thus awareness can be estimated by the number of publications or the number of citations. But below and beyond the citation, it is good to expose the real scientific advances.
With 26 domestic authors who have produced 46 articles and 35 external that have published 46 articles, a total of 92 items produced by 61 authors from 1990 to 2015, it is enough to recognize the work done by this crucible knowledge. Scientific journals are an essential component of the functioning of the research. The valorisation of the research activity in this university institution inevitably passes through the publication of the articles by the researchers of this institution and the regularity of the publication of their magazine.
That’s why we suggest at this institution management committee to strive for consistency in the publication of the Annals but also to push the scientists of the Alma Mater to research that is the second of three missions that the Congolese state has entrusted to his universities and higher institutes and resulting in the existence of a post of chief of section in charge of research in each section.