2018 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in chemistry

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

Table criteria

# Institution Share 2016 Share 2017 Count 2017 Change in Adjusted Share* 2016–2017
1 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea 67.16 66.35 129 -7.8% Decrease
2 Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea 63.03 65.51 123 -3.0% Decrease
3 Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea 48.33 49.36 102 -4.6% Decrease
4 Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea 39.71 47.38 90 11.4% Increase
5 Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea 39.26 38.27 77 -9.0% Decrease
6 Yonsei University, South Korea 50.69 35.88 79 -33.9% Decrease
7 Korea University, South Korea 31.30 27.03 70 -19.4% Decrease
8 Hanyang University (HYU), South Korea 28.23 25.18 50 -16.7% Decrease
9 Ewha Womans University (Ewha), South Korea 23.31 19.57 50 -21.6% Decrease
10 Chung-Ang University (CAU), South Korea 7.22 13.70 27 77.0% Increase
11 Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea 15.39 11.95 30 -27.5% Decrease
12 Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea 7.67 10.30 19 25.4% Increase
13 Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea 11.53 9.45 25 -23.5% Decrease
14 Chonnam National University, South Korea 2.63 9.18 19 225.9% Increase
15 Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea 6.83 6.82 15 -6.7% Decrease
16 University of Ulsan (UOU), South Korea 3.40 6.43 18 76.4% Increase
17 Kangwon National University, South Korea 7.04 6.25 15 -17.0% Decrease
18 Ajou University (AJOU), South Korea 8.06 6.07 17 -29.7% Decrease
19 Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea 5.64 5.73 18 -5.1% Decrease
20 University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea 3.66 5.01 27 27.9% Increase
21 Gyeongsang National University (GNU), South Korea 6.71 4.02 7 -44.0% Decrease
22 Kookmin University, South Korea 0.33 4.00 9 1,019.4% Increase
23 Chungnam National University (CNU), South Korea 3.59 3.79 16 -1.3% Decrease
24 Inha University, South Korea 5.20 3.63 9 -34.9% Decrease
25 Sejong University, South Korea 2.29 3.35 8 36.5% Increase
26 Dongguk University, South Korea 5.97 3.27 12 -48.9% Decrease
27 Soongsil University, South Korea 2.02 3.18 8 47.4% Increase
28 Sogang University, South Korea 4.44 3.03 10 -36.2% Decrease
29 Chungbuk National University, South Korea 2.78 2.38 6 -20.1% Decrease
30 Sookmyung Women's University, South Korea 2.96 2.23 13 -29.6% Decrease
31 Yeungnam University, South Korea 1.51 1.98 7 22.1% Increase
32 University of Seoul (UOS), South Korea 0.83 1.93 6 117.8% Increase
33 Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea 2.71 1.86 6 -36.0% Decrease
34 Incheon National University (INU), South Korea 2.38 1.84 5 -27.6% Decrease
35 Konkuk University, South Korea 2.41 1.83 7 -29.0% Decrease
36 Mokpo National University, South Korea 0.00 1.76 5 0.0% Increase
37 Gachon University (GCU), South Korea 0.50 1.54 5 186.7% Increase
38 Kwangwoon University, South Korea 0.67 1.37 3 91.4% Increase
39 Pukyong National University (PKNU), South Korea 1.67 1.22 7 -31.5% Decrease
40 Myongji University, South Korea 0.05 1.18 3 2,213.9% Increase
41 Dong-A University, South Korea 0.33 1.17 2 226.8% Increase
42 University of Suwon (USW), South Korea 0.13 1.10 5 724.7% Increase
43 Soonchunhyang University (SCH), South Korea 1.00 1.06 2 -1.4% Decrease
44 Korea National University of Transportation (KNUT), South Korea 0.42 1.00 1 124.1% Increase
45 Hongik University, South Korea 1.00 0.88 1 -18.3% Decrease
46 Silla University, South Korea 0.33 0.67 1 86.7% Increase
47 Kunsan National University, South Korea 0.20 0.58 4 169.0% Increase
48 Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNTECH), South Korea 0.00 0.50 5 0.0% Increase
49 The Catholic University of Korea, South Korea 1.81 0.49 4 -74.8% Decrease
50 Wonkwang University, South Korea 0.42 0.42 5 -6.4% Decrease
51 Dankook University (DKU), South Korea 0.81 0.42 2 -51.9% Decrease
52 Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), South Korea 0.33 0.34 2 -4.0% Decrease
53 Tech University of Korea (TU Korea), South Korea 0.00 0.33 2 0.0% Increase
54 Daejin University, South Korea 0.33 0.32 1 -10.9% Decrease
55 Daegu University, South Korea 0.40 0.24 2 -44.9% Decrease
56 Kongju National University, South Korea 0.84 0.22 2 -76.0% Decrease
57 Korea Maritime and Ocean University, South Korea 0.00 0.20 1 0.0% Increase
58 Kyonggi University (KGU), South Korea 0.00 0.19 2 0.0% Increase
59 Sungshin Women's University, South Korea 0.00 0.17 1 0.0% Increase
60 Keimyung University (KMU), South Korea 0.00 0.16 2 0.0% Increase
61 Dongduk Women's University (DWU), South Korea 0.00 0.13 1 0.0% Increase
61 Hannam University, South Korea 0.00 0.13 3 0.0% Increase
62 CHA University (CHA), South Korea 0.00 0.10 1 0.0% Increase
63 Hoseo University, South Korea 0.00 0.07 1 0.0% Increase
64 Hankyong National University, South Korea 0.00 0.05 1 0.0% Increase
64 Daegu Haany University, South Korea 0.00 0.05 1 0.0% Increase
65 Hyupsung University, South Korea 0.00 0.05 1 0.0% Increase
66 Inje University, South Korea 1.00 0.04 1 -96.1% Decrease

Footnote

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

  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Nature Index data and methods are transparent and available under a creative commons licence at nature.com/nature-index/.
  5. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The Nature Index database undergoes regular updating, corrections, adjustment of institutional hierarchies, and removal of retracted papers and thus the live website can differ from the frozen research leaders.