2023 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in physical sciences

The 2023 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.

Table criteria

Region/country

Sector

Subject/journals

#	Institution	Share 2021	Share 2022	Count 2022	Change in Adjusted Share* 2021–2022
1	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), South Korea	108.71	106.56	206	4.5%
2	Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea	89.98	73.95	251	-12.4%
3	Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea	64.00	64.86	225	8.1%
4	Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea	68.42	59.10	153	-7.9%
5	Yonsei University, South Korea	57.25	44.33	213	-17.4%
6	Korea University, South Korea	43.42	39.95	172	-1.9%
7	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea	39.72	33.26	111	-10.7%
8	Hanyang University (HYU), South Korea	23.96	25.02	119	11.3%
9	Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea	10.30	14.21	102	47.1%
10	Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea	17.54	12.96	38	-21.2%
11	Sogang University, South Korea	11.06	11.47	37	10.6%
12	Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea	15.69	10.98	82	-25.4%
13	Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea	9.52	10.21	27	14.4%
14	Chung-Ang University (CAU), South Korea	13.21	10.11	45	-18.3%
15	Ajou University (AJOU), South Korea	4.82	9.46	22	109.2%
16	Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea	10.01	8.62	67	-8.1%
17	Ewha Womans University (Ewha), South Korea	7.16	7.01	24	4.4%
18	Inha University, South Korea	6.63	6.26	45	0.7%
19	Kwangwoon University, South Korea	5.69	6.16	8	15.4%
20	Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea	3.57	5.82	45	74.1%
21	University of Seoul (UOS), South Korea	4.61	5.78	54	33.7%
22	Incheon National University (INU), South Korea	2.61	5.77	12	135.6%
23	Dongguk University, South Korea	7.16	5.14	20	-23.5%
24	Chungnam National University (CNU), South Korea	8.63	5.08	24	-37.3%
25	Chonnam National University, South Korea	4.16	4.98	70	27.5%
26	University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea	4.71	4.61	58	4.4%
27	Yeungnam University, South Korea	1.75	4.09	11	149.9%
28	Sejong University, South Korea	4.29	3.75	87	-6.9%
29	Konkuk University, South Korea	4.46	3.71	13	-11.4%
30	Gyeongsang National University (GNU), South Korea	5.39	3.51	22	-30.6%
31	Korea National University of Education (KNUE), South Korea	0.08	3.23	5	4,032.9%
32	Jeju National University, South Korea	0.09	2.92	6	3,388.1%
33	Hongik University, South Korea	0.41	2.25	9	480.6%
34	Gachon University (GCU), South Korea	1.01	2.18	8	130.7%
35	Pukyong National University (PKNU), South Korea	2.01	1.65	12	-12.4%
36	Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT), South Korea	0.83	1.65	7	110.5%
37	Kookmin University, South Korea	1.51	1.53	7	8.1%
38	Kunsan National University, South Korea	1.45	1.50	5	10.4%
39	Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), South Korea	5.85	1.49	6	-72.8%
40	University of Ulsan (UOU), South Korea	1.67	1.42	13	-9.2%
41	Korea National University of Transportation (KNUT), South Korea	2.56	1.32	3	-45.1%
42	Kongju National University, South Korea	0.17	1.30	4	706.8%
43	The Catholic University of Korea, South Korea	1.14	1.29	8	20.6%
44	Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH), South Korea	0.00	1.19	8	0.0%
45	Chungbuk National University, South Korea	2.26	1.11	31	-47.5%
46	Sookmyung Women's University, South Korea	1.76	0.99	6	-40.1%
47	Jeonju University, South Korea	0.74	0.97	4	39.1%
48	Kangwon National University, South Korea	3.03	0.89	8	-68.8%
49	Soonchunhyang University (SCH), South Korea	0.06	0.89	2	1,411.2%
50	Inje University, South Korea	0.00	0.83	3	20,908.1%
51	Dong-Eui University, South Korea	0.67	0.83	1	33.3%
52	Soongsil University, South Korea	1.76	0.78	17	-52.7%
53	University of Suwon (USW), South Korea	0.00	0.71	2	0.0%
54	Korea Aerospace University (KAU), South Korea	0.70	0.67	2	1.6%
55	Hanbat National University, South Korea	0.56	0.64	3	21.9%
56	Tech University of Korea (TU Korea), South Korea	2.00	0.48	2	-74.7%
57	Myongji University, South Korea	0.38	0.45	3	27.9%
58	Dong-A University, South Korea	0.87	0.27	3	-67.4%
59	Korea Maritime and Ocean University, South Korea	0.17	0.23	1	45.4%
60	Semyung University, South Korea	0.09	0.20	3	140.4%
61	Dankook University (DKU), South Korea	1.13	0.20	3	-80.9%
62	Wonkwang University, South Korea	0.22	0.17	1	-18.9%
62	Mokpo National University, South Korea	0.14	0.17	2	24.4%
63	Daegu Haany University, South Korea	0.00	0.14	1	0.0%
64	Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), South Korea	0.00	0.13	1	0.0%
65	Hyupsung University, South Korea	0.00	0.13	1	0.0%
66	Sunchon National University (SCNU), South Korea	0.22	0.12	1	-43.5%
67	Kyonggi University (KGU), South Korea	0.10	0.11	1	18.5%
68	Hallym University, South Korea	0.00	0.11	2	0.0%
69	Hannam University, South Korea	0.20	0.09	1	-51.5%
69	Sun Moon University (SMU), South Korea	0.00	0.09	1	0.0%
70	Dongshin University, South Korea	0.07	0.09	2	30.9%
71	Korea University of Technology and Education (Korea Tech), South Korea	0.00	0.07	1	0.0%
72	Ulsan College, South Korea	0.00	0.07	1	0.0%
73	Chosun University, South Korea	0.46	0.06	1	-85.5%
74	Seoyeong University, South Korea	0.04	0.06	2	68.5%
75	Changwon National University, South Korea	0.92	0.04	1	-95.5%
76	Gangneung-Wonju National University (GWNU), South Korea	0.04	0.04	19	-4.3%
77	Sungshin Women's University, South Korea	0.00	0.04	1	0.0%
78	Gwangju National University of Education (GNUE), South Korea	0.01	0.00	1	-45.5%
79	Daegu University, South Korea	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%

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.
Nature Index data and methods are transparent and available under a creative commons licence at nature.com/nature-index/.
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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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2023 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in physical sciences

Table criteria

Footnote