Publication channels, levels and credits

Overview

The publication channels are divided into two levels:

• Level 1 entails standard credits and covers the channels that publish 80 per cent of the publications.
• Level 2 entails extra credits and covers the most prestigious and rigorous channels, which publish 20 per cent of the publications.

UHR Publishing at the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions (UHR) determines which channels qualify as level 2 channels in consultation with the national academic councils and the corresponding academic bodies at UHR. Researchers may, however, suggest level 1 channels for inclusion in level 2 to their academic council. The website of the Norwegian publishing indicator (hk.dir.no) provides the opportunity to comment on single-journals. Comments can be submitted continuously throughout the year, and these comments will be presented together for the academic body responsible for nomination.

How can I identify the level of a journal, series or publisher?

Sikt (Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research) is responsible for the register of authorised publication channels (journals, series and publishers). This is the basis for academic publications that qualify under the funding system.

Search for publication channels

Authorized channels and definition of academic publication

• According to Sikt's definition, the authorized academic publication channels are journals, series and publishers which meet the criteria issued by UHR. For a publication to generate credit, it must be in accordance with the definition of academic publications, in addition to being published in an authorized publication channel.
• An academic publication is defined according to four criteria, all of which must be met. The publication must:
  1. present new insight
  2. be presented in a form that allows the research findings to be verified and/or used in new research
  3. be written in a language and have a distribution that make the publication accessible to the majority of interested researchers
  4. appear in an authorized publication channel (journal, series, book publishers, website) that has procedures for peer review

How to register a publication channel

Suggesting new channels in level 1

• Anyone can suggest new channels for inclusion in level 1.
• The deadline for nominating new publication channels to level 1 is 30 November, but we recommend that suggestions are submitted at any point during the year.
• Suggestions are considered when they are received, and those that are approved will be retroactively effective from the relevant reporting year.
• Sikt forwards the suggestions to UHR Publishing, which has overall responsibility for final approval of channels that qualify under the funding system.
• On 11 March 2015, UHR Publishing adopted new documentation requirements in connection with suggestions for new channels in level 1 (pdf) (Norwegian).

Submit suggestions for new channels in level 1

Suggesting changes to level 2

• UHR Publishing sends an annual report on the year's nomination with deadlines and guidelines (hk.dir.no).
• It is the national academic councils that have the opportunity to propose changes to level 2 publishing channels. At the same time, each researcher can propose channels at level 1 as candidates for level 2 to their academic council. This is done by posting professional comments on journals directly on the website of the Norwegian publishing indicator (hk.dir.no).
• Academic councils may submit proposals for changes to UHR within the deadline set by UHR Publishing.
• Proposals are processed by UHR Publishing, and any changes will be made with one year's delay. Example: When UHR Publishing is processing proposals for change of level 2 by 2018, these changes will be effective from 2020.
• See overview of academic councils responsible for nomination (hk.dir.no).

Units' information on academic councils

ILOS at the Faculty of Humanities

Relevant academic councils:

• National Academic Council for Litterature (ILOS' representatives: Ragnhild Reinton and Tone Selboe)
• National Academic Council for English (ILOS' representatives: study coordinator)
• National Academic Council for German (ILOS' representatives: John Ole Askedal and Heinz-Peter Prell)
• National Academic Council for Slavonic Studies (ILOS' representatives: Jan Ivar Bjørnflaten and Karen Gammelgaard)
• National Academic Council for Roman Language and Litterature (ILOS' representatives: Antin Rydning (French), Elizaveta Khachaturyan and Juan L. Pellicer)

Proposals can be made to the representatives or leaders of the specific academic council.

Faculty of Law

UHR Publishing for the Faculties of Law at UiB, UiT and UiO (Norwegian)

Faculty of Dentistry

UHR Publishing's subjects at the Faculty of Dentistry (pdf) (Norwegian)

Series

Publications in series may have both an ISSN and ISBN. Every publication that can be linked to an ISSN must be registered with the series (ISSN) as the publication channel. The ISSN ranks above the ISBN. It is therefore important to ensure that both the publisher’s ISBN and the series’ ISSN are included in the register of approved publications. If the series’ ISSN is not given, the publication will not be approved, even if it is published under an approved publisher. The series must in this case be registered in the channel register.

Publication points - "new indicator" used as of reporting 2015 publications

When calculating points, the author's percentages must be weighted (multiplied) by a professionally determined number. The combinations of publication form and quality level form categories that provide the basis for weighting.

The weights used in the three sectors' funding systems are as follows:

For a publication associated with more than one institution, publishing points are calculated as follows:

1. Calculate the total number of author shares in the publication. An author's share is any unique combination of author and institution in the publication.
2. Calculate the number of author shares the institution has and divide the total number of author shares.
3. Calculate the square root of the number (fraction) in point 2.
4. Multiply with points for level and form of publication.
5. Multiply by 1.3 if the publication is linked to foreign institutions.

For publications associated with only one institution, points are only used for level and publication.