The SPP leads a structured, evidence-based process of peer review and quality audits for all South African research journals, conducted on a five-year cycle. The periodic peer review of South African scholarly journals are conducted according to approved process guidelines and criteria. Journals are evaluated in disciplinary groupings, allowing for sector-wide insights and informed recommendations to enhance their performance within both the national and international research ecosystems.
This periodic, quality-assurance-driven peer review focuses on key dimensions of journal excellence, including:
- the quality and rigor of editorial and peer review processes,
- the alignment of journal content with its stated purpose,
- positioning within global indexing systems,
- financial sustainability, andscope and publication scale.
Comprehensive review reports are shared with journal publishers and editors, as well as critical stakeholders such as national professional associations, the Departments of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE)/Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), the National Research Foundation (NRF), Universities South Africa (USAf), and research-active institutions across the country.
Through this strategic intervention, ASSAf supports the continuous improvement, credibility, and global competitiveness of South African scholarly publishing.
- Social Sciences and Related Fields/ Click here to view the panel list
- Agricultural and Related Basic Life Sciences / Click here to view the panel list
- Religion, Theology and Related Fields / Click here to view the panel list
- Health Sciences and Related Medical Fields / Click here to view the panel list
- Law and Related Legal Fields / Click here to view the panel list / Forum of Law Editors – Guidelines
- Humanities 1: Classics, Literature and Languages / Click here to view the panel list
- Architecture, Built Environment and Engineering / Click here to view the panel list
- Humanities II: Visual and Performing Arts / Click here to view the panel list
- Communication and Information Sciences / Click here to view the panel list
- Education / Click here to view panel list
- History, Philosophy and Politics / Click here to view panel list
- Mathematics and Science / Click here to view panel list
- Economics and Business Management / Click here to view panel list
- Other Disciplines / Click here to review panel list
DHET Launches Collaborative Programme to Strengthen Research Publication Quality
The Scholarly Publishing Programme (SPP) at ASSAf wishes to highlight an important new development from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), outlined in Communique 1 of 2023 (issued 14 August 2023). The DHET has launched a three-year collaborative programme aimed at enhancing the quality and integrity of research publications within South African higher education institutions. This initiative, housed at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) (Stellenbosch University) and led by Prof Johann Mouton in partnership with Prof Elisha Chiware (CPUT), directly responds to concerns about unintended negative consequences arising from the Research Outputs Policy, such as predatory publishing, ghost affiliations, and salami slicing.
The Collaborative Project for the Implementation of a Research Publications Quality Framework for South African Publications seeks to revise and strengthen the current policy framework to minimize unethical practices and improve research quality. ASSAf, together with the DHET, NRF, USAf, SARIMA, and all public universities, forms part of the Consultative Stakeholders Forum guiding this important work.
We encourage all members of the research community to review the full Communique 1 of 2023 and to support this strategic initiative aimed at safeguarding the integrity, credibility, and global competitiveness of South African research.
Journals Peer Review Enquiries
Mmaphuthi Rametse
Senior Project Officer: Scholarly Publishing Programme, ASSAf
Email: mmaphuthi@assaf.org.za