2018 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions

The 2018 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017.

Table criteria

Region/country

Sector

Subject/journals

#	Institution	Share 2016	Share 2017	Count 2017	Change in Adjusted Share* 2016–2017
1	Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea	165.97	164.43	462	-2.3%
2	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea	157.77	152.95	317	-4.4%
3	Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea	100.36	87.29	211	-14.3%
4	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea	63.00	77.62	164	21.4%
5	Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea	75.04	76.42	256	0.4%
6	Yonsei University, South Korea	91.10	74.24	207	-19.7%
7	Korea University, South Korea	62.43	56.43	237	-10.9%
8	Hanyang University (HYU), South Korea	52.14	45.65	188	-13.7%
9	Ewha Womans University (Ewha), South Korea	32.82	29.66	83	-10.9%
10	Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea	24.23	25.02	66	1.8%
11	Chung-Ang University (CAU), South Korea	13.88	20.58	48	46.1%
12	Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea	26.78	18.43	44	-32.2%
13	Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea	25.62	18.39	95	-29.2%
14	Ajou University (AJOU), South Korea	12.77	17.17	44	32.6%
15	Chonnam National University, South Korea	8.03	15.00	116	84.2%
16	Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea	14.14	14.79	132	3.1%
17	Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea	12.44	14.38	46	13.9%
18	Sejong University, South Korea	9.05	12.02	48	30.9%
19	University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea	8.10	11.94	74	45.3%
20	University of Ulsan (UOU), South Korea	7.71	11.68	48	49.3%
21	Sogang University, South Korea	15.90	9.31	27	-42.3%
22	Chungnam National University (CNU), South Korea	11.31	9.07	42	-20.9%
23	Dongguk University, South Korea	9.31	8.83	27	-6.5%
24	Konkuk University, South Korea	8.84	8.47	50	-5.6%
25	Gyeongsang National University (GNU), South Korea	9.73	8.19	21	-17.0%
26	Kangwon National University, South Korea	10.84	8.14	28	-26.0%
27	Kookmin University, South Korea	3.81	7.85	16	103.3%
28	Inha University, South Korea	10.19	7.14	37	-30.9%
29	Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea	6.86	6.87	93	-1.4%
30	University of Seoul (UOS), South Korea	5.62	5.93	87	4.0%
31	Soongsil University, South Korea	3.37	4.56	24	33.3%
32	Incheon National University (INU), South Korea	6.24	3.67	15	-41.9%
33	Chungbuk National University, South Korea	4.64	3.38	15	-28.1%
34	Sookmyung Women's University, South Korea	4.64	3.24	23	-31.1%
35	Yeungnam University, South Korea	2.43	3.09	12	25.1%
36	Dankook University (DKU), South Korea	1.51	3.07	14	100.4%
37	Soonchunhyang University (SCH), South Korea	1.61	2.88	9	75.9%
38	Pukyong National University (PKNU), South Korea	3.86	2.52	11	-35.6%
39	Gachon University (GCU), South Korea	0.79	2.36	12	194.2%
40	Korea National University of Transportation (KNUT), South Korea	0.70	2.33	3	227.5%
41	Myongji University, South Korea	1.26	2.26	5	77.6%
42	Kwangwoon University, South Korea	2.42	1.98	7	-19.4%
43	Korea Maritime and Ocean University, South Korea	0.39	1.91	4	378.0%
44	Mokpo National University, South Korea	0.02	1.90	6	9,182.4%
45	Korea Aerospace University (KAU), South Korea	0.53	1.87	4	245.0%
46	Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT), South Korea	0.92	1.50	2	61.3%
47	The Catholic University of Korea, South Korea	4.38	1.48	10	-66.6%
48	Daegu University, South Korea	0.40	1.32	5	225.3%
49	Kongju National University, South Korea	1.76	1.29	7	-27.4%
50	Dong-A University, South Korea	1.29	1.29	3	-1.3%
51	University of Suwon (USW), South Korea	0.13	1.10	5	770.7%
52	Hongik University, South Korea	1.17	1.10	2	-7.3%
53	Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), South Korea	1.75	1.04	4	-41.4%
54	Hanbat National University, South Korea	0.14	1.00	2	622.9%
55	Inje University, South Korea	1.57	0.93	17	-41.7%
56	Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), South Korea	2.00	0.84	3	-58.5%
57	Chosun University, South Korea	1.70	0.83	1	-51.7%
58	Silla University, South Korea	0.33	0.67	1	97.1%
59	Wonkwang University, South Korea	1.93	0.65	9	-66.8%
60	Kunsan National University, South Korea	0.70	0.64	5	-9.5%
61	Catholic Kwandong University (CKU), South Korea	0.01	0.60	1	4,158.4%
62	Hannam University, South Korea	0.00	0.55	6	0.0%
63	Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNTECH), South Korea	0.00	0.50	6	0.0%
64	Sunchon National University (SCNU), South Korea	1.25	0.48	3	-62.5%
65	CHA University (CHA), South Korea	0.13	0.43	2	230.2%
66	Eulji University, South Korea	0.51	0.37	3	-29.0%
67	Sungshin Women's University, South Korea	0.00	0.37	2	0.0%
68	Tech University of Korea (TU Korea), South Korea	0.14	0.33	1	130.0%
68	Sangmyung University, South Korea	0.17	0.33	1	97.1%
69	Daejin University, South Korea	0.92	0.32	1	-65.8%
70	Keimyung University (KMU), South Korea	0.00	0.31	5	0.0%
71	Hallym University, South Korea	1.23	0.29	2	-76.6%
72	Daejeon University, South Korea	0.92	0.25	1	-73.1%
72	Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea	0.03	0.25	1	836.4%
72	Korea Military Academy, South Korea	0.33	0.25	1	-26.1%
73	Dongduk Women's University (DWU), South Korea	0.00	0.24	2	0.0%
74	Daegu Haany University, South Korea	0.00	0.22	2	0.0%
75	Kyonggi University (KGU), South Korea	0.62	0.19	2	-70.3%
76	Cheongju University, South Korea	0.00	0.17	2	0.0%
77	Andong National University, South Korea	0.00	0.17	4	0.0%
78	Korea National Open University (KNOU), South Korea	0.00	0.14	2	0.0%
79	Kyungil University, South Korea	0.00	0.13	1	0.0%
80	Kosin University, South Korea	0.00	0.10	1	0.0%
81	Seoul Foreign School (SFS), South Korea	0.00	0.09	1	0.0%
82	Hoseo University, South Korea	0.75	0.09	2	-88.7%
83	Duksung Women's University, South Korea	0.00	0.07	1	0.0%
84	Gangneung-Wonju National University (GWNU), South Korea	0.13	0.06	18	-51.3%
85	Gwangju Health University, South Korea	0.00	0.06	1	0.0%
86	Hankyong National University, South Korea	0.00	0.05	1	0.0%
87	Hyupsung University, South Korea	0.00	0.05	1	0.0%
88	Konyang University, South Korea	0.22	0.04	1	-81.4%
89	Jungwon University, South Korea	0.08	0.04	1	-54.5%

Each year, the Nature Index publishes tables based on counts of high-quality research outputs in the previous calendar year. Users please note:

The data behind the tables are based on a relatively small proportion of total research papers, they cover the natural sciences and health sciences only and outputs are non-normalized (that is, they don’t reflect the size of the country or institution, or its overall research output).
The Nature Index is one indicator of institutional research performance. The metrics of Count and Share used to order Nature Index listings are based on an institution’s or country’s publication output in 145 natural-science and health-science journals. The journals were selected on reputation by an independent panel of leading scientists in their fields. The list is reviewed periodically and journals may be removed or added. Articles from eLife were no longer included in the Nature Index from 2023 after the journal changed its publishing model.
Nature Index recognizes that many other factors must be taken into account when considering research quality and institutional performance; Nature Index metrics alone should not be used to assess institutions or individuals.
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2018 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions

Table criteria

Footnote