A Bibliometric Profile of the New Zealand Science System (2001)
Executive Summary
1.1 Aims
This paper uses data on scientific publications and citations to determine the share of New Zealand scientific output in various scientific fields contributed by different sectors; to map the changes between 1986 and 1996 in the New Zealand science system; to investigate changes in the patterns of international collaboration; and to produce useful information for policy advice.
1.2 Main findings
The number of New Zealand scientific papers is steadily increasing. In 1999, New Zealand science produced 4,312 scientific papers or 0.59 percent of scientific papers in the world. In absolute terms, this is small but in terms of population, R&D expenditure or GDP, this is particularly high for a small country like New Zealand.
Compared with other countries, the number of New Zealand scientific publications tends to have higher proportions in the agricultural and social sciences, and lower proportions in engineering and technology.
Overall, the impact (measured by number of citations) of New Zealand scientific publications has improved but still falls below the world average. New Zealand scientific publications have higher than average impact in the agricultural, medical sciences and humanities, close to average impact in the social sciences, and lower than average impact in the natural sciences and engineering.
New Zealand universities contributed 60.8% of all New Zealand scientific publications, followed by CRIs 18.8%, hospitals 9.8%, private firms 6.4%, Government agencies 2.4% and others 1.8%.
University scientific papers concentrate on clinical medicine, life sciences, physical sciences and social sciences while the scientific papers by CRIs focus on plant and animal science, agricultural sciences and geosciences.
International collaboration plays a vital role in New Zealand scientific research. The proportion of New Zealand scientific papers co-authored with overseas counterparts is much higher than the world average. In addition, New Zealand scientific papers co-authored with overseas scientists have higher impact (are cited more often) than papers authored solely by New Zealanders.
The interaction between universities and the CRIs in scientific research in New Zealand has continued to rise. Over 30% of scientific papers produced by CRIs were the result of collaborations with New Zealand universities in 1996.
1.3 Conclusions
New Zealand has a firm foundation of knowledge production and international collaboration, especially in areas of agriculture, ecology and environmental sciences. These are some of the new emerging areas important to the transformation of the New Zealand economy through adding value to primary production. Opportunities exist to enhance knowledge production in some areas of industry-based research, such as engineering, computing, chemistry and materials sciences. Increased knowledge in these areas is also important for the transformation of the New Zealand economy.
Further sections:
2.0 Introduction
3.0 Methodology
4.0 Data
5.0 Results
6.0 All Sectors
7.0 Universities
8.0 Government research institutes
9.0 Health sector
10. Other sectors
11. Conclusions
References
Notes
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