Inclusion of Cuban student journals in SciELO Cuba: visibility, quality, and research training

Resumen

The inclusion of Cuban student scientific journals in the SciELO Cuba collection represents a strategic opportunity to boost visibility, editorial quality, and research training within the country. These publications—which disseminate research by undergraduate students, medical residents, and professionals in training—have experienced steady growth, yet their reach remains limited by a lack of indexing in mainstream databases. SciELO Cuba, utilizing criteria updated in 2024, offers a rigorous framework that would enable these journals to professionalize their editorial processes and align with open science principles. International visibility, interoperability, and digital preservation are immediate benefits of such inclusion, while the requirement for standards—such as peer review, XML usage, and conflict-of-interest declarations—would strengthen credibility and ensure up-to-date bibliographic practices. From a training perspective, indexing would encourage student participation in research, reinforcing methodological and communication skills while granting institutional recognition to the scientific output of young researchers. However, risks regarding sustainability, insularity, and low productivity persist, necessitating faculty guidance and supportive policies. The national context—characterized by open science initiatives and reforms within the scientific system—favors this proposal, which should be implemented gradually and responsibly. More than merely a mark of prestige, inclusion in SciELO Cuba would represent a qualitative leap for Cuban student science, integrating it into the global circuit and consolidating its social value.