Academic age standards underestimate Global South career stages and research capacity building: An outlook of the scientific workforce of Colombia

Abstract

The academic age (AA) measures a researcher’s experience in producing scientific knowledge. It has an impact on national and institutional policies, including career incentives and funding. However, there have been few studies conducted in global south countries. Our aim was to compare and refine different AA approaches for the Colombian scientific workforce. We used official national data on knowledge products and researchers’ assessment. We found that AAs for different academic activities did not show multi-collinearity. Additionally, comparing national rankings with international research career standards revealed significant disparities. This may lead to an underestimation of researchers’ capacity building in the global south under AA computation and interpretation standards. Our preliminary findings contribute to discussions about the complexity and necessity of defining career stages, with consideration for diversity and inclusiveness.