This newspaper unveiled that Saudi universities were paying up to €70,000 a year to prestigious researchers to artificially pump up Arab institutions in international academic rankings

Summary

The number of highly cited scientists falsely claiming Saudi university affiliations has dropped 76% following revelations of a scheme where researchers were paid up to €70,000 annually to boost Saudi institutions’ global rankings.

The scandal, exposed by EL PAÍS, led to stricter scrutiny by Clarivate, which excluded 2,000 researchers from its 2024 list for misconduct.

Saudi institutions like King Saud University and King Abdulaziz University saw dramatic declines in listed scientists, jeopardizing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s goal of top-ranking universities.

The crackdown highlights widespread manipulation in academic rankings.