King Fahd University For Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) has purchased Web of Science data back to 1900, Healthcare & Science business of Thomson Reuters said on Tuesday. It said KFUPM is the first university in the Gulf region to purchase more than a century of vital data. Since KFUPM purchased Web of Science in 2004, the number of articles published by university researchers has increased 15 percent between 2004 and 2008, and the number of citations to the works of KFUPM researchers has increased 90 percent during the same period. The addition of Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index and back year editions of Arts & Humanities Citation Index will provide users access to millions of additional source items and cited references. “Backfile data from the Web of Science gives researchers the power to conduct deeper, more comprehensive searches,” said Shahrooz Sharifrazy, key account manager, Middle East and Africa, Thomson Reuters. “KFUPM has come to rely on data from Thomson Reuters to assist them in groundbreaking research.” KFUPM is one of the Gulf region's leading universities and is highly regarded for its excellence in science and engineering programs. It leads universities in the region in terms of the articles published in by its faculty and researchers, specifically in the areas of engineering and pure sciences. A bibliometric analysis of citations received by the faculty at KFUPM highlights its success amongst universities in the region. “Web of Science backfiles will help our researchers to identify trendsetting industry subjects critical to Saudi Arabia's research advancement,” said Dr Al Baridi, Director General, Library Affairs at KFUPM. “Cited reference searching can put that data into context, making it an invaluable tool not only for the researcher, but also for the information provider trying to compile decades of significant research.” KFUPM is a leading educational organization for science and technology. Since that time, the University enrollment has grown to more than 10,000 students. Recently, as of October 2008, Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings ranked KFUPM amongst the top 400 universities around the world. Thomson Reuters is a leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. It combines expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information in financial, legal, tax and accounting, scientific, healthcare and media markets.
