2021 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in physical sciences

The 2021 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020.

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# Institution Share 2019 Share 2020 Count 2020 Change in Adjusted Share* 2019–2020
1 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea 89.20 107.66 218 12.2% Increase
2 Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea 74.53 78.08 265 -2.6% Decrease
3 Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea 53.38 55.98 137 -2.5% Decrease
4 Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea 42.06 50.87 151 12.4% Increase
5 Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea 51.87 50.39 190 -9.7% Decrease
6 Yonsei University, South Korea 45.92 44.32 170 -10.3% Decrease
7 Korea University, South Korea 28.95 41.15 194 32.1% Increase
8 Hanyang University (HYU), South Korea 23.27 21.51 128 -14.1% Decrease
9 Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea 16.11 17.76 99 2.5% Increase
10 Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea 10.93 14.27 37 21.3% Increase
11 Chung-Ang University (CAU), South Korea 7.31 10.44 32 32.9% Increase
12 Sogang University, South Korea 5.06 10.14 30 86.3% Increase
13 Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea 8.08 7.46 58 -14.2% Decrease
14 Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea 7.55 7.46 91 -8.2% Decrease
15 Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea 9.05 7.01 20 -28.0% Decrease
16 Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea 7.02 6.66 47 -11.8% Decrease
17 Ajou University (AJOU), South Korea 3.29 6.24 21 76.6% Increase
18 Sejong University, South Korea 6.74 5.12 93 -29.4% Decrease
19 University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea 4.02 4.90 40 13.3% Increase
20 Kwangwoon University, South Korea 2.06 4.70 6 111.6% Increase
21 Konkuk University, South Korea 3.18 4.53 15 32.4% Increase
22 University of Seoul (UOS), South Korea 8.25 4.45 69 -49.8% Decrease
23 Chonnam National University, South Korea 6.83 3.91 74 -46.8% Decrease
24 Inha University, South Korea 5.93 3.85 40 -39.7% Decrease
25 Chungnam National University (CNU), South Korea 4.38 3.72 16 -21.2% Decrease
26 University of Ulsan (UOU), South Korea 1.61 3.62 18 108.9% Increase
27 Ewha Womans University (Ewha), South Korea 6.63 3.54 29 -50.3% Decrease
28 Jeju National University, South Korea 0.97 3.25 5 211.3% Increase
29 Kookmin University, South Korea 1.85 2.73 9 37.4% Increase
30 Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), South Korea 3.48 2.64 5 -29.3% Decrease
31 Dongguk University, South Korea 6.03 2.58 11 -60.2% Decrease
32 Gyeongsang National University (GNU), South Korea 2.42 2.17 19 -16.6% Decrease
33 Sookmyung Women's University, South Korea 1.14 1.95 10 59.7% Increase
34 Chungbuk National University, South Korea 2.79 1.65 9 -45.0% Decrease
35 The Catholic University of Korea, South Korea 1.89 1.60 6 -21.3% Decrease
36 Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), South Korea 0.15 1.40 3 759.0% Increase
37 Hallym University, South Korea 1.49 1.38 4 -14.2% Decrease
38 Yeungnam University, South Korea 1.85 1.34 4 -32.4% Decrease
39 Soongsil University, South Korea 1.22 1.33 18 1.8% Increase
40 Kunsan National University, South Korea 0.12 1.28 6 872.9% Increase
41 Gachon University (GCU), South Korea 3.06 1.20 6 -63.5% Decrease
42 Incheon National University (INU), South Korea 2.41 1.07 7 -58.7% Decrease
43 Dankook University (DKU), South Korea 1.79 1.03 4 -46.2% Decrease
44 Kangwon National University, South Korea 0.18 1.03 7 431.5% Increase
45 Korea National University of Transportation (KNUT), South Korea 1.92 1.01 3 -51.0% Decrease
46 Pukyong National University (PKNU), South Korea 0.20 0.95 10 331.8% Increase
47 Hongik University, South Korea 1.03 0.77 4 -30.4% Decrease
48 Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNTECH), South Korea 0.00 0.74 3 0.0% Increase
49 Daegu Haany University, South Korea 0.00 0.69 3 0.0% Increase
50 Chosun University, South Korea 0.62 0.52 4 -22.0% Decrease
51 Kongju National University, South Korea 0.25 0.51 4 89.3% Increase
52 Korea National University of Education (KNUE), South Korea 0.00 0.50 1 0.0% Increase
53 CHA University (CHA), South Korea 0.13 0.47 2 251.2% Increase
54 Jeonju University, South Korea 0.00 0.45 2 0.0% Increase
55 Wonkwang University, South Korea 0.33 0.40 3 15.1% Increase
56 Myongji University, South Korea 1.83 0.40 2 -79.7% Decrease
57 Dongshin University, South Korea 0.15 0.36 4 125.3% Increase
58 Sunchon National University (SCNU), South Korea 0.33 0.33 1 -7.0% Decrease
58 University of Suwon (USW), South Korea 0.00 0.33 1 0.0% Increase
58 Sahmyook University, South Korea 0.25 0.33 2 24.0% Increase
59 Tech University of Korea (TU Korea), South Korea 0.94 0.27 2 -73.6% Decrease
60 Changwon National University, South Korea 0.05 0.25 3 416.7% Increase
61 Mokpo National University, South Korea 0.00 0.23 2 0.0% Increase
62 Gwangju National University of Education (GNUE), South Korea 0.00 0.20 2 6,203.5% Increase
63 Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea 0.00 0.20 1 0.0% Increase
63 Dong-A University, South Korea 0.00 0.20 3 0.0% Increase
64 Silla University, South Korea 0.00 0.19 2 0.0% Increase
65 Hanbat National University, South Korea 0.13 0.18 1 35.2% Increase
66 Hannam University, South Korea 0.00 0.16 2 0.0% Increase
67 Seoul National University of Education (SNEU), South Korea 0.57 0.15 2 -76.2% Decrease
68 Inje University, South Korea 1.51 0.12 7 -92.6% Decrease
69 Kyonggi University (KGU), South Korea 1.33 0.11 1 -92.3% Decrease
70 Keimyung University (KMU), South Korea 0.00 0.08 2 0.0% Increase
71 Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT), South Korea 0.94 0.07 1 -92.9% Decrease
71 Handong Global University (HGU), South Korea 0.00 0.07 1 0.0% Increase
72 Seoyeong University, South Korea 0.03 0.07 2 93.3% Increase
73 Gangneung-Wonju National University (GWNU), South Korea 0.06 0.04 22 -29.6% Decrease
74 Sangmyung University, South Korea 0.00 0.01 3 0.0% Increase

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.


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