publications Viewpoint Conference Accreditation and Need of a Bibliometric Measure to Distinguish Predatory Conferences Pooyan Makvandi 1,* , Anahita Nodehi 2 and Franklin R. Tay 3 1 Centre for Materials Interfaces, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Italy 2 Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications (DiSIA), Florence University, Viale Morgagni 59, 50134 Florence, Italy; Anahita.nodehi@unifi.it 3 The Graduate School, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] or [email protected] Abstract: Academic conferences offer scientists the opportunity to share their findings and knowledge with other researchers. However, the number of conferences is rapidly increasing globally and many unsolicited e-mails are received from conference organizers. These e-mails take time for researchers to read and ascertain their legitimacy. Because not every conference is of high quality, there is a need for young researchers and scholars to recognize the so-called “predatory conferences” which make a profit from unsuspecting researchers without the core purpose of advancing science or collaboration. Unlike journals that possess accreditation indices, there is no appropriate accreditation for international conferences. Here, a bibliometric measure is proposed that enables scholars to evaluate conference quality before attending. Keywords: conference indicator; conference impact factor; conference accreditation; bibliometric measure Citation: Makvandi, P.; Nodehi, A.; Tay, F.R. Conference Accreditation and Need of a Bibliometric Measure 1. Introduction to Distinguish Predatory Conferences. Academic conferences offer scientists the opportunity to share their findings and Publications 2021, 9, 16. https:// knowledge with other researchers. Conferences are organized by institutions or societies, doi.org/10.3390/publications9020016 and in rare cases, by individuals [1]. There is an increasing tendency for researchers to receive invitations from unsolicited conferences. The organizers of these so-called “preda- Academic Editor: Oleg V. Mikhailov tory conferences” lure researchers, especially young scientists, to attend their conferences by sending out one or more emails that invite the scholars to be plenary speakers in those Received: 1 March 2021 conferences (Figure1)[ 2–4]. Jeffrey Beall is the first person to use the term “predatory Accepted: 21 April 2021 meetings”. The term was used in the same context as “predatory publications”. He ex- Published: 22 April 2021 plained that some companies organize conferences to invite researchers from all over the world to present their papers. These organizers exploit the need for researchers to publish Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral papers in proceedings or affiliated journals by asking for a significant conference attendance with regard to jurisdictional claims in charge, using low quality conference business models [2]. Interested readers are referred to published maps and institutional affil- excellent reference sources for conference enhancement tips [5,6] and the implications of iations. predatory conferences [4,7]. Early-career academics and scholars from developing coun- tries are the most vulnerable to these predatory meeting invitations. Readers can easily identify some of the introductions used in those electronic communications: • Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to attend our conference as an invited Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. speaker . This article is an open access article • We have gone through your recent study; it has been accepted to be given as an oral distributed under the terms and presentation . conditions of the Creative Commons • On behalf of the organizing committee, we are pleased to invite you to take part in the Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// conference . creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Publications 2021, 9, 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications9020016 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/publications Publications 2021, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 5 Publications 2021, 9, 16 2 of 5 • • I Ijust just wanted wanted to to check check that that if if you you have have received received my my previous previous mail mail that that I Isent sent a a couple couple ofof weeks weeks back. back. We We have have not not heard heard back back an andd wanted wanted to to make make sure sure it it went went through through youryour inbox… inbox . FigureFigure 1. 1. PredatoryPredatory conferences conferences target target scientists. scientists. In In pr practice,actice, predatory predatory conferences conferences quickly quickly accept accept eveneven poor poor quality quality submissions submissions wi withoutthout peer peer review review and and without without control control of nonsensical of nonsensical content, content, whilewhile asking asking for for high high attendance attendance fees. fees. They They may may utilize utilize conference conference names names that that are similar are similar to the to the namesnames of of more more established established conferences conferences to to attrac attractt academics academics and and promote promote m meetingseetings with with unrelated unrelated imagesimages copied copied from from the the Internet. Internet. SimilarSimilar to to invitations invitations from from predatory predatory conferen conferences,ces, there there is is also also a anotable notable increase increase in in thethe number number of of invitations invitations from from predatory predatory jour journalsnals [8–10]. [8–10]. Whereas Whereas reputable reputable international international journalsjournals possess possess accreditation accreditation indices indices such such as as impact impact factor factor [11,12], [11,12], source source normalized normalized im- im- pactpact factor factor (SNIP) (SNIP) [13,14], [13,14], Scimago Scimago journal journal rank rank (SJR) (SJR) [15], [15], Eigenfactor Eigenfactor Score Score (ES) (ES) or or Hirsch Hirsch indexindex (h-index) (h-index) [16], [16], conferences conferences do do not not have have comparable comparable accreditation accreditation indices. indices. Although Although somesome conference conference ranking ranking metrics areare availableavailable (e.g.,(e.g., http://www.conferenceranks.com/ http://www.conferenceranks.com/;; http://portal.core.edu.au/conf-ranks/,http://portal.core.edu.au/conf-ranks/ accesse, accessedd on onFebruary February 2021), 2021), not not all all reputable reputable con- con- ferencesferences are are amenable amenable to to search search (e.g., (e.g., Europe Europeanan Society Society of of Biomaterials Biomaterials Conference; Conference; Forbes Forbes Women’sWomen’s Summit). Summit). Usually, searchsearch conferences conferences are ar restrictede restricted to specificto specific fields fields only. only. In addi- In addition,tion, the numberthe number of conferences of conferences are growing are growing at an exponentialat an exponential rate, which rate, makeswhich websitemakes websiteupdates updates on a daily on a or daily even or a weeklyeven a weekly basis virtually basis virtually impossible. impossible. ThereThere is is a apressing pressing need need for for a asystem system that that evaluates evaluates the the academic academic quality quality of of interna- interna- tionaltional conferences conferences [17]. [17]. Prior Prior art art only only discus discussesses the the dilapidation dilapidation of of predatory predatory conferences conferences withoutwithout offering offering a solution. a solution. The The objective objective of th ofe present the present letter letteris to address is to address potential potential meth- odsmethods of evaluating of evaluating conferences conferences and to offer and tosuggestions offer suggestions on conference on conference evaluation. evaluation. The au- thorsThe authorspropose propose a new accreditation a new accreditation scheme schemefor conferences for conferences which may which be mayuseful be for useful scien- for tists,scientists, especially especially for young for young scholars, scholars, to identify to identify high-level high-level conferences. conferences. 2. Potential Solutions 2. Potential Solutions Although some institutions do evaluate the credibility of conferences, such evaluations Although some institutions do evaluate the credibility of conferences, such evalua- are not conducted on all conferences. In some instances, the conference organizer has to apply tionsfor the are conference not conducted accreditation. on all conferences. This is not a mandatoryIn some instances, process, unlikethe conference journal accreditation. organizer hasThe to following apply for arethe suggestions conference accreditation. for enhancing This the quality is not a of mandatory conference process, accreditation: unlike jour- nal accreditation.(I) A conference The following must have are a unique suggesti nameons for with enhancing a registered the Internationalquality of conference Standard accreditation:Serial Number (ISSN). This is comparable with journal ISSN, in which there are no two jour- nals(I) with A conference identical names. must Thehave conference a unique name title should with a be registered devoid of International a period descriptor Standard that Serialreferences Number it as (ISSN). part of This an ongoing is comparable conference with series. journal For ISSN, example, in which “European there are Conference no two journalson Biomaterials”