Faculty Experiences with Predatory Conferences: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Predatory conferences are low quality events, in which speaker slots are purchased without peer review and phony research is provided an equal forum. The events are money making business devoid of any educational value but are portrayed as genuine scholarly gatherings of experts and specialists.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore experiences of faculty members in nursing and medicine colleges who had unknowingly fallen prey to the predatory conferences.
Methods: Exploratory and qualitative study design using in-depth face to face interviews was employed to describe the experiences. Sample comprised of seven faculty members from the school of nursing (x) and medicine (y) in city (z) in Saudi Arabia. Graneheimian approach was used for content analysis.
Findings: Consequences of participation in predatory conference extended beyond financial loss. It affected the internal motivation for professional development in participants who now live with a fear of being wrongly associated with predatory conference organizers, as attempts were made to misuse their information during and after the event without consent.
Conclusion: Institutes should initiate awareness and education programs to familiarize researchers with the true face and exploiting nature of predatory conference organizers. Funding for fake conferences should be stopped.