I completed my PhD last year and am currently not affiliated with or employed by a university. I continue to utilize my previous affiliation for manuscripts resulting from the projects I undertook during my PhD. However, I am involved in other collaborative projects. I am curious about the possibility of obtaining an honorary status from a university or research institute for the purpose of publication, allowing me to use their affiliation until I secure a post-doc or research position in a university or institution. Is this feasible?
IYH Dear Mohammad Niroumand Sarvandani
In principle it is possible but not that easy for everyday researchers.
I know off three ways: you must either be a high profile researcher already affiliated w a prestigious institution elsewhere, or be friends w the minister of education in a country where the office of the president can simply confer that honorary affiliation, or if you are wealthy you can likely obtain one from an Eastern European University.
About 13-15 years ago .sa universities KSU and KAU embarked on the first strategy (offered honorary affiliation to US top tier university researchers, sometimes paid https://archive.is/QRtvS) and managed to catapult their .sa uni rankings from high 100s to top 50 in a couple of years - it was IMHO a clever gaming scheme and not illegal until v recently (spain)
"75 % of Saudi Arabian HCRs in 2022 have a second foreign affiliation; far higher than for the other countries we looked at, where foreign secondary affiliations accounted for 0-13%. The share of foreign second affiliations depends on the institution: it is especially high for King Abdulaziz University (81%) and King Saud University (82%), while it is only half as high for the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (41%). Most Saudi Arabian universities are not concerned by this phenomenon. From the 274 HCRs affiliated to Saudi Arabian institutions between 2014-22, there were only 64 HCRs which indicated solely Saudi Arabian institutions in their affiliations" https://assets-global.website-files.com/628cd02660188df249f8f8ce/646bae8c25fa863b784674ea_International%20Edition%20The%20affiliation%20game%20of%20Saudi%20Arabian%20higher%20education%20institutions.pdf
Securing an honorary affiliation for post-PhD publications is possible in some cases, but it ultimately depends on the policies and guidelines of the institution or organization you are seeking affiliation with. Here are some points to consider:
It's important to approach institutions with a clear proposal and demonstrate the value of your research contributions. While securing honorary affiliation may not always be guaranteed, it is worth exploring as it can enhance your research profile and opportunities for collaboration.