Head, Webometrics, Dr. Olusegun Folorunsho
The term ‘Webometrics’, as defined by Bjorneborn “is the study of qualitative aspects of the construction and use of information resources, structures and technologies on the web, drawing on bibliometric and infometric approaches”.
Issues in Webometrics comprise of the Web Contents (Information) as well as Web-links. The World Wide Web (www) has become a key medium in the promotion and development of the academic, scientific, cultural and educational competences of a University.
Therefore, web helps to spread vital information beyond physical boundaries of the University. It further helps to attract students, scholars and funding from other places by spreading the prestige of these educational institutional all over the world.
The “Webometrics Ranking of World Universities”, is an initiative of the Cybermetrics Lab, a research group, belonging to the [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC]. The largest public research body in Spain.
It is important to note that Webometrics’ ranking results is published twice a year- January and July, since 2004 and covers more than 20,000 Higher Education Institutions Worldwide.
Web ranking was, therefore, designed to motivate institutions to improve on their Web Presence, Open Access and Transparency Policies, in order to showcase all the activities taking place in the various segments of the institution.
No doubt, the University’s Website is a gateway showing all its major events and records to the entire world, irrespective of the location of the users or target audience. It becomes imperative for institutions to promote a substantial increase in the volume and quality of their electronic publications.
No doubt, the University’s Website is a gateway showing all its major events and records to the entire world, irrespective of the location of the users or target audience. It becomes imperative for institutions to promote a substantial increase in the volume and quality of their electronic publications.
Meanwhile, to be among the best ranked institutions in the world, it is a major task for all the stakeholders, such as Management, Staff and Students of the institution to take cognizance of the following:
i) An enforceable Web and ICT Policies;
ii) Acquisition of Institutional Research Repositories, to keep track of rich files, scholarly materials and other vital institutional documents;
iii) Scholars are advised to publish in high impact international journals;
iv) Mass sourcing for external links to the institution’s website, and
v) All the various arms in the institution must make their achievements, landmarks and breakthrough visible to the entire world.
The aim of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in the establishment of the Webometrics Centre is to work towards increasing the volume and quality of our Web Presence, Impact, Openness and Excellence.
As stakeholders, it is hoped that all members of the entire University community need to rise up and support this laudable initiative.