UTAR reached a significant milestone on 23 January 2025 when Assoc Prof Ir Dr Lim Boon Han and his research team successfully published a comprehensive study on academic promotion policies in Nature—the world’s top-ranked scientific journal, boasting an impact factor of 50.5. This achievement cements UTAR’s position in the global research landscape and underscores its capacity to contribute to high-impact scholarly discussions.
Dr Lim collaborated closely with Prof Dr Chong Kok Keong, a distinguished senior professor at UTAR, to co-author one of the most in-depth analyses of global academic promotion policies ever conducted. Their research urges institutions to move beyond traditional research metrics and recognize contributions in education, leadership, and real-world applications of scholarly work.
This publication marks a distinction for a Malaysian institution—it is the first Malaysia-based first-authored Nature research paper since 2015. The achievement highlights UTAR’s growing research influence and Malaysia’s ability to contribute meaningfully to globally relevant scientific discussions.
In collaboration with the Global Young Academy (GYA), Dr Lim and his team conducted an extensive analysis of 190 academic institutions and 58 government agencies across 121 countries. Their research revealed significant disparities in faculty promotion policies worldwide.
Key findings include:
High-income countries emphasize research visibility, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Middle-income nations still prioritize number of publications, journal impact factor and citation count as primary promotion criteria.
These insights highlight the urgent need for a more inclusive approach to faculty evaluation. The study encourages institutions to reconsider their assessment frameworks and adopt broader, more equitable criteria for academic promotions.
Since its publication, the study has sparked discussions in global academic circles, with coverage in Nature, Science, Times Higher Education, the Global Young Academy, and other platforms. It has already influenced institutions worldwide to reassess their promotion policies, fostering a dialogue on fairer and more comprehensive faculty evaluation criteria.
Dr Lim and his team remain committed to engaging with policymakers, university administrators, and funding agencies to advocate for meaningful reforms in faculty assessment.
This Nature publication reinforces UTAR’s reputation as a research-driven university and signals Malaysia’s growing competitiveness in the global academic landscape. As the country strives to strengthen its research ecosystem, achievements like this solidify Malaysia’s position as a hub for high-impact scientific contributions.
For more details on the research, visit: Nature article.