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University · Harare · Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Open University

In research, Zimbabwe Open University stands highest in Social Sciences (#4,301 of 10,521 worldwide) and Social Sciences (#4,236 of 6,365 worldwide), 2022–2025.

zou.ac.zwROR OpenAlex
World rank, 2022–2025
#16,201
of 28,054 · #32,459 all time
Rank in Zimbabwe
#9
of 17
Research works
1k
▼ 28% vs 2013–17
Citations
3.4k
3.3 per fractional work
Top-10% rate
12.3%
record average 16.5%
Open access
63%
world 28%

What is Zimbabwe Open University known for in research?

The fields where it stands highest, 2022–2025, ranked among every institution above the floor in each field.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorksAll time
Social SciencesDomain #4,301 of 10,521 11.4%206 #8518
Social SciencesField #4,236 of 6,365 13.8%126 #5836

Each strip is that field’s whole ranked pool, with the notch where Zimbabwe Open University sits in it, in the colour of the band that rank falls in. The track under the rate is the rate itself: it carries no world mark, because the world rate differs by field (from about 6% to 21% in this record).

Field profile

Location quotient across every field it publishes in: outside the ring is more than an institution of this size would be expected to publish, inside it is less.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 1.92× its world share, 26 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.10× its world share, 2 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 0.14× its world share, 0 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 0.11× its world share, 0 worksNeuroscienceChemical Engineering: 0.17× its world share, 0 worksChemical EngineeringComputer Science: 0.60× its world share, 13 worksComputer ScienceEnergy: 0.09× its world share, 0 worksEnergyEngineering: 0.13× its world share, 5 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 0.87× its world share, 12 worksEnvironmental ScienceMathematics: 0.83× its world share, 3 worksMathematicsHealth Professions: 1.16× its world share, 9 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.15× its world share, 8 worksMedicineNursing: 0.42× its world share, 1 worksNursingVeterinary: 0.09× its world share, 0 worksVeterinaryArts and Humanities: 1.58× its world share, 13 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 4.00× its world share, 37 worksBusiness, Management…Decision Sciences: 3.14× its world share, 9 worksDecision SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 2.09× its world share, 13 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 0.96× its world share, 8 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 3.48× its world share, 126 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Business, Management and Accounting, 4.0×. Every wedge is a field page.

Who are the top researchers at Zimbabwe Open University?

Ranked on the composite score, Maxwell Constantine Chando Musingafi, Thembinkosi Tshabalala and Never Assan lead among researchers whose main affiliation is Zimbabwe Open University.

  1. 1 Maxwell Constantine Chando Musingafi Zimbabwe · #1,312,857 worldwide 8 citations · 22 works
  2. 2 Thembinkosi Tshabalala Zimbabwe · #1,482,202 worldwide 13 citations · 15 works
  3. 3 Never Assan Zimbabwe · #1,488,617 worldwide 9 citations · 26 works
  4. 4 Tichaona Mapolısa Zimbabwe · #1,592,892 worldwide 6 citations · 18 works
All ranked researchers at Zimbabwe Open University

Which keywords describe research at Zimbabwe Open University?

By fractional works in 2022–2025, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Social Justice, Colonialism, Nationalism, Political Economy, Land Reform, History, Agrarian Relations and Zimbabwe.

▲ more of its work than of the world’s◆ about the world’s share▼ less than the world’s

Size is fractional works in 2022–2025 in the topics tagged with each word; colour is the word's share of this institution's work against its share of the world's. The 40 words are chosen for being large and distinctive. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Social Justice29▲ 17×12 topics
  2. Colonialism28▲ 20×7 topics
  3. Nationalism25▲ 19×5 topics
  4. Political Economy23▲ 32×4 topics
  5. History23▲ 12×3 topics
  6. Land Reform23▲ 183×2 topics
  7. Agrarian Relations22▲ 885×1 topic
  8. Zimbabwe22▲ 885×1 topic
  9. Climate Change16▲ 2.1×23 topics
  10. Sustainable Development15▲ 3.3×22 topics
  11. Sustainability15▲ 2.1×27 topics
  12. Globalization14▲ 2.4×27 topics
  13. Education11▲ 2.3×17 topics
  14. Corporate Governance10▲ 4.9×13 topics
  15. Educational Technology10▲ 3.0×13 topics
  16. Human Rights10▲ 3.3×13 topics
  17. Social Capital10▲ 6.4×10 topics
  18. Technology Integration10▲ 11×6 topics
  19. Development9▲ 9.2×7 topics
  20. Leadership9▲ 6.7×8 topics
  21. Innovation9▲ 2.9×10 topics
  22. Supply Chain Management8▲ 3.2×9 topics
  23. Online Learning8▲ 3.4×10 topics
  24. Higher Education8▲ 4.9×12 topics
  25. Adaptation7▲ 8.6×4 topics
  26. Poverty Reduction7▲ 19×5 topics
  27. Gender Inequality7▲ 18×6 topics
  28. Consumer Behavior7▲ 3.8×7 topics
  29. Religion7▲ 4.9×7 topics
  30. Professional Development6▲ 11×7 topics
  31. Teacher Professional Development6▲ 14×4 topics
  32. Gender Equality6▲ 7.2×7 topics
  33. NGOs6▲ 20×4 topics
  34. Sustainable Agriculture5▲ 5.9×6 topics
  35. Postcolonialism5▲ 15×6 topics
  36. Civil Society5▲ 16×3 topics
  37. Humanitarianism5▲ 27×2 topics
  38. International Aid5▲ 35×2 topics
  39. Smallholder Farmers5▲ 7.6×3 topics
  40. Student Satisfaction5▲ 9.0×2 topics

Which research topics does Zimbabwe Open University publish most on?

By volume in 2022–2025: African studies and sociopolitical issues, Religion, Society, and Development, COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts and Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare.

African studies and soci…22African studies and sociopolitical issues: 22 fractional worksReligion, Society, and Development: 5 fractional worksCOVID-19 Pandemic Impacts: 4 fractional worksPoverty, Education, and Child Welfare: 4 fractional worksOnline and Blended Learning: 3 fractional worksBusiness Strategies and Management Research: 3 fractional worksEducation Systems and Policy: 3 fractional worksMedia Studies and Communication: 3 fractional worksTeacher Education and Leadership Studies: 3 fractional worksAgricultural Innovations and Practices: 3 fractional works
Sociology and Political ScienceEconomics and EconometricsSafety ResearchEducation3 others

Area is fractional works; colour is the subfield each topic belongs to.

  1. 1 African studies and sociopolitical issues Sociology and Political Science 22 works
  2. 2 Religion, Society, and Development Sociology and Political Science 5 works
  3. 3 COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts Economics and Econometrics 4 works
  4. 4 Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare Safety Research 4 works
  5. 5 Online and Blended Learning Education 3 works
  6. 6 Business Strategies and Management Research Management Science and Operations Research 3 works
  7. 7 Education Systems and Policy Education 3 works
  8. 8 Media Studies and Communication Communication 3 works
  9. 9 Teacher Education and Leadership Studies Education 3 works
  10. 10 Agricultural Innovations and Practices General Agricultural and Biological Sciences 3 works

How open and international is its research?

Against the world’s own shares — the tick on each track. Both are shares of its output, so they sit on one scale and can be read against each other as well as against the world.

openly available62.7%not open37.3%

World: 28% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors13.7%domestic only86.3%

World: 19% is written across borders.

How has Zimbabwe Open University's research output changed?

Output in 2018–2022 was 28% lower than in 2013–2017.

1990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Other research institutions in Harare

All research institutions in Harare

Research measures only: rankings here say nothing about teaching, admissions or student experience. Comparable institutions and collaboration partners are in the interactive view on the map.