SINTA: Science and Technology Index

Introduction to SINTA

The Science and Technology Index, widely known as SINTA, is a web-based portal that serves as the primary gateway for accessing information regarding scientific publications in Indonesia. Managed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) of the Republic of Indonesia, SINTA functions as a comprehensive database and an accreditation instrument for national scientific journals.

Before the advent of SINTA, the accreditation of journals in Indonesia was a manual, paper-heavy process that was often time-consuming and lacked transparency. SINTA was introduced to digitize this process, making it more efficient, transparent, and accessible. It provides a platform where journal managers can submit their accreditation documents, assessors can review them, and the public can view the status and rankings of journals.

SINTA is not merely a static directory; it is a dynamic measurement tool. It integrates data regarding authorship, citations, and journal performance metrics to evaluate and rank journals nationally. The system aims to improve the quality of research dissemination in Indonesia by encouraging journals to meet international standards of publication.

The Purpose of SINTA

The establishment of SINTA is driven by several strategic objectives designed to elevate the standards of Indonesian scientific research. The primary goal is to provide a credible and transparent mechanism for journal accreditation. By centralizing the process, the government ensures that evaluation is standardized and based on measurable data.

Secondly, SINTA aims to map the competence of Indonesian researchers. By analyzing the data within the system, policymakers can identify research clusters that are thriving and those that require more support. This mapping is crucial for national research planning and budget allocation.

Furthermore, SINTA serves as a tool to monitor research performance across universities and research institutions. It allows stakeholders to track the productivity of their faculty members in terms of publication volume and citation impact. This performance tracking is increasingly linked to funding opportunities and academic promotions within the Indonesian higher education system.

Accreditation Levels

SINTA categorizes accredited journals into six distinct levels, ranging from S1 to S6 (previously known as Levels 1 through 6). This hierarchy reflects the quality score achieved by the journal during the accreditation assessment.

• Sinta 1 (S1): The highest level of national accreditation. These journals are considered to have excellent management and high academic quality, often approaching international standards. They attract high citation rates and are viewed as prestigious publication venues.
• Sinta 2 (S2) and Sinta 3 (S3): These levels represent journals with very good quality. They have robust management systems, consistent publication schedules, and a significant impact within their specific disciplines.
• Sinta 4 (S4) to Sinta 6 (S6): These tiers cover journals that meet the basic national standards of quality but still have room for improvement in specific areas such as citation impact, international authorship, or online visibility.

Journals that have not yet passed the accreditation process, or are currently under review, are not ranked within the SINTA levels until an official decree is issued by the Ministry.

Accreditation Criteria and Assessment

The assessment of journals within SINTA is rigorous and multidimensional. It is not based solely on the content of the articles but also on the management and technical aspects of the journal. The assessment covers six main clusters of instruments:

1. Management and Publication

This cluster evaluates the governance of the journal. Assessors look for a clear organizational structure, the qualifications of the editorial board (including experts from outside the institution), regularity of publication (schedule adherence), and the clarity of the journal's focus and scope. Proper plagiarism screening policies are also mandatory.

2. Content Substance

The quality of the articles published is paramount. This includes the originality of the research, the depth of the analysis, and the contribution to the field of science. The diversity of authors and institutions is also considered to ensure the journal is not merely an in-house publication vehicle.

3. Writing and Presentation

This criterion assesses the adherence to writing guidelines, the use of standard language (usually English or Indonesian with proper abstracts in both), and the presentation of data, tables, and figures. The layout of the journal must be professional and reader-friendly.

4. Online Presence and Accessibility

In the digital era, a journal must have a dedicated website or utilize a reputable Open Journal System (OJS). The assessment checks the website's functionality, the archiving of articles, and the indexing of the journal in other databases. The use of DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for articles is a critical requirement.

5. Citation and Impact

SINTA utilizes citation metrics as a quantitative measure of a journal's impact. The system analyzes how often articles from the journal are cited by other researchers. Journals with higher citation counts generally achieve higher SINTA levels.

6. Scientific Reputation

This qualitative metric looks at the standing of the journal in the academic community. It considers whether the journal is included in other international indexing bodies (such as Scopus, DOAJ, or Web of Science) and the reputation of the editors and reviewers involved.

The Accreditation Process

The accreditation workflow on SINTA is a structured cycle designed to ensure fairness and accountability. The process begins with journal managers preparing and uploading their documents to the SINTA portal.

1. Submission: Journal managers enter data regarding articles, authors, and citation metrics. They also upload self-evaluation reports based on the six accreditation instruments.
2. Desk Evaluation: Experts at ARJUNA (the center for journal accreditation and management) perform an initial check to ensure completeness and eligibility.
3. Peer Review: Accreditation assessors, who are experts appointed by the ministry, access the portal to review the journal's profile. They assign scores for each instrument cluster.
4. Plagiarism Check: A rigorous screening process is conducted to ensure the integrity of the published content.
5. Plenary Meeting: The results of the assessments are discussed in a plenary meeting to finalize the accreditation status and level.
6. Decree Issuance: Official certificates are uploaded to the portal, and the journal's SINTA level is updated.

Accreditation is valid for five years. Upon expiration, journals must undergo reassessment to maintain their status or improve their ranking.

Benefits for Researchers and Institutions

The implementation of SINTA has significantly changed the landscape of research in Indonesia, offering numerous benefits to stakeholders.

For Researchers

For authors, publishing in SINTA-accredited journals is often a requirement for graduation or promotion. The portal serves as a central CV builder, automatically compiling a researcher's publication history and citation metrics. This simplifies the process of proving academic productivity for grant applications or professorship applications.

For Institutions

Universities and research institutes use SINTA data to benchmark their performance against other institutions. It assists leadership in identifying productive researchers and allocating internal funding effectively. The visibility of the institution increases as its journals climb the SINTA rankings, attracting prospective students and researchers.

For Journal Managers

Journals gain official recognition and validity through SINTA. Being listed in the database increases the journal's visibility to potential authors. The feedback provided during the accreditation process helps journal managers identify weaknesses and implement improvements in their editorial practices.

SINTA vs. International Indexing

It is important to distinguish SINTA from international indexing services like Scopus or Web of Science. While SINTA is a national portal, international indices are global databases.

SINTA is designed specifically to accommodate the characteristics of Indonesian journals, which often publish in local languages or focus on region-specific issues. However, the ultimate goal of SINTA is not to compete with international indices but to act as a feeder system. Journals that perform well in SINTA are encouraged to improve their standards so they can eventually be accepted by international indexers.

In fact, a high ranking in SINTA (particularly Sinta 1 and 2) often correlates with a journal's readiness to apply for indexing in DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals) or Scopus. Many Indonesian journals currently hold "double accreditation," maintaining a national SINTA rank while also being indexed internationally.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its successes, SINTA faces several challenges. The most persistent issue is the predatory journal culturejournals that exist solely to collect publication fees without rigorous peer review. SINTA combats this through strict accreditation instruments and the requirement for transparent peer review documentation.

Another challenge is the disparity between disciplines. Social sciences and humanities often have different citation patterns compared to natural sciences and engineering, making uniform metric application difficult. SINTA continues to refine its algorithms to ensure fair assessment across diverse fields.

Looking forward, the Ministry is continuously updating the SINTA platform to integrate more advanced metrics, such as altmetrics (which track mentions on social media and policy documents) and more sophisticated bibliometric analyses. The system aims to become fully interoperable with international institutional repositories to further enhance the visibility of Indonesian research on the world stage.

Conclusion

SINTA represents a transformative step in the management of scientific communication in Indonesia. By digitizing and standardizing the accreditation process, it has brought transparency, efficiency, and motivation to the academic community. The platform serves as a vital infrastructure for measuring research quality, fostering healthy competition among journals, and ultimately elevating the quality of Indonesian science.

For researchers and academic support staff, understanding how SINTA works is essential. It is not just a bureaucratic requirement but a strategic tool for career advancement and institutional development. As the system evolves, it will continue to play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between local research achievements and global scientific recognition.