2019 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in physical sciences

The 2019 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018.

Table criteria

Region/country

Sector

Subject/journals

#	Institution	Share 2017	Share 2018	Count 2018	Change in Adjusted Share* 2017–2018
1	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea	89.26	89.64	182	-5.0%
2	Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea	71.26	72.99	287	-3.1%
3	Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea	45.03	53.67	245	12.7%
4	Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea	43.55	46.40	136	0.8%
5	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea	42.95	42.78	100	-5.8%
6	Yonsei University, South Korea	30.88	34.63	106	6.1%
7	Korea University, South Korea	25.37	25.49	194	-5.0%
8	Hanyang University (HYU), South Korea	21.43	18.59	167	-17.9%
9	Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea	9.31	14.64	40	48.7%
10	Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea	11.13	13.18	52	12.0%
11	Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea	4.67	8.55	145	73.0%
12	Chung-Ang University (CAU), South Korea	7.25	8.34	21	8.7%
13	Ajou University (AJOU), South Korea	5.86	7.89	20	27.3%
14	Sogang University, South Korea	6.35	7.32	18	9.1%
15	Ewha Womans University (Ewha), South Korea	5.32	7.16	37	27.4%
16	Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea	6.73	7.02	51	-1.4%
17	Sejong University, South Korea	6.71	6.24	63	-12.1%
18	Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea	3.84	6.15	70	51.6%
19	Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea	3.76	5.24	20	31.8%
20	Chonnam National University, South Korea	3.98	4.64	125	10.3%
21	Dongguk University, South Korea	6.83	4.63	14	-35.9%
22	University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea	4.48	4.51	37	-4.7%
23	Chungnam National University (CNU), South Korea	3.64	4.11	16	6.9%
24	University of Seoul (UOS), South Korea	3.25	4.00	109	16.3%
25	Soongsil University, South Korea	2.26	3.76	25	57.2%
26	Kwangwoon University, South Korea	0.78	3.16	8	283.5%
27	Kookmin University, South Korea	4.61	2.69	6	-44.8%
28	Dong-A University, South Korea	1.17	2.14	5	73.6%
29	Sookmyung Women's University, South Korea	0.68	1.69	10	134.7%
30	Chungbuk National University, South Korea	0.99	1.59	7	52.2%
31	Myongji University, South Korea	0.40	1.52	3	262.7%
32	Gyeongsang National University (GNU), South Korea	1.02	1.52	21	40.0%
33	University of Ulsan (UOU), South Korea	2.52	1.44	7	-46.1%
34	Pukyong National University (PKNU), South Korea	1.53	1.44	11	-11.1%
35	Konkuk University, South Korea	2.73	1.32	21	-54.2%
36	The Catholic University of Korea, South Korea	0.24	1.26	4	405.0%
37	Yeungnam University, South Korea	1.85	1.25	4	-35.9%
38	Korea National University of Transportation (KNUT), South Korea	1.33	1.22	2	-13.3%
39	Incheon National University (INU), South Korea	1.46	0.99	5	-36.0%
40	Inha University, South Korea	2.22	0.90	21	-61.7%
41	Catholic Kwandong University (CKU), South Korea	0.00	0.86	1	0.0%
42	Hallym University, South Korea	0.09	0.85	2	784.3%
43	Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), South Korea	1.04	0.83	6	-24.5%
44	Kangwon National University, South Korea	1.87	0.79	5	-59.8%
45	Kunsan National University, South Korea	0.31	0.73	3	124.5%
46	Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT), South Korea	1.50	0.73	3	-54.3%
47	Dankook University (DKU), South Korea	1.83	0.72	3	-62.9%
48	Inje University, South Korea	0.02	0.59	7	2,724.1%
49	Soonchunhyang University (SCH), South Korea	1.00	0.53	2	-50.3%
50	Sunchon National University (SCNU), South Korea	0.48	0.52	2	2.9%
51	CHA University (CHA), South Korea	0.33	0.52	3	46.6%
52	Seonam University, South Korea	0.00	0.50	1	0.0%
53	Tech University of Korea (TU Korea), South Korea	0.00	0.48	4	0.0%
54	Jeju National University, South Korea	0.00	0.43	3	0.0%
55	Hanbat National University, South Korea	1.00	0.41	3	-61.2%
56	Chosun University, South Korea	0.00	0.41	3	0.0%
57	Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), South Korea	0.50	0.38	2	-28.8%
58	Gwangju National University of Education (GNUE), South Korea	0.00	0.33	2	0.0%
58	Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea	0.00	0.33	1	0.0%
59	Kongju National University, South Korea	0.49	0.29	2	-43.8%
60	Gwangju University, South Korea	0.00	0.25	1	0.0%
61	Korea University of Technology and Education (Korea Tech), South Korea	0.00	0.19	2	0.0%
62	Kyungnam University, South Korea	0.00	0.17	2	0.0%
62	Daegu Haany University, South Korea	0.05	0.17	1	199.5%
62	Wonkwang University, South Korea	0.31	0.17	1	-48.6%
62	Dong-Eui University, South Korea	0.00	0.17	1	0.0%
63	University of Suwon (USW), South Korea	0.27	0.11	1	-60.6%
64	Kyonggi University (KGU), South Korea	0.06	0.09	1	37.6%
65	Korea Military Academy, South Korea	0.00	0.07	1	0.0%
66	Gachon University (GCU), South Korea	0.45	0.07	1	-85.9%
66	Dongshin University, South Korea	0.00	0.07	1	0.0%
67	Seoyeong University, South Korea	0.00	0.03	1	0.0%
68	Yonam College, South Korea	0.00	0.02	1	0.0%
69	Gangneung-Wonju National University (GWNU), South Korea	0.06	0.02	15	-72.6%

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.
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2019 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in physical sciences

Table criteria

Footnote