2020 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in Earth & environmental sciences

The 2020 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.

Table criteria

Region/country

Sector

Subject/journals

Position	Institution	Share 2018	Share 2019	Count 2019	Change in Adjusted Share* 2018–2019
1	University of Padova (UNIPD), Italy	7.05	7.22	35	-0.7%
2	University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB), Italy	4.35	5.83	16	29.8%
3	University of Roma Tre, Italy	3.00	5.73	22	85.3%
4	University of Bologna (UNIBO), Italy	3.02	3.57	15	14.5%
5	Sapienza University of Rome, Italy	2.86	3.42	19	15.7%
6	University of Pisa (UNIPI), Italy	3.97	2.64	15	-35.6%
7	University of Florence (UNIFI), Italy	6.47	2.36	18	-64.7%
8	University of Turin (UNITO), Italy	5.53	2.29	11	-59.8%
9	University of Bari Aldo Moro (UniBA), Italy	0.83	2.15	8	149.2%
10	University of Milan (UNIMI), Italy	1.22	2.14	9	70.3%
11	Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy	1.10	2.09	10	83.4%
12	Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy	1.07	2.06	4	85.9%
13	University of Catania, Italy	0.97	1.72	9	71.2%
14	University of Naples Federico II (UNINA), Italy	3.69	1.65	9	-56.8%
15	University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Italy	1.46	1.24	5	-17.7%
16	University of Salerno (UNISA), Italy	1.67	1.20	6	-30.6%
17	Ca' Foscari University of Venice (UNIVE), Italy	0.50	1.17	9	128.4%
18	University of Parma (UNIPR), Italy	0.03	1.07	4	2,972.7%
19	Parthenope University of Naples, Italy	0.00	1.06	5	0.0%
20	University of Perugia, Italy	1.88	0.99	6	-49.1%
21	University of Pavia (UNIPV), Italy	1.85	0.96	7	-49.6%
22	Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (UniBz), Italy	0.10	0.79	2	661.4%
23	University of Insubria, Italy	0.14	0.72	4	396.9%
24	Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa (SSSA), Italy	0.00	0.61	4	0.0%
25	University of Verona (UNIVR), Italy	0.38	0.50	2	29.9%
26	University of Chieti (Ud'A), Italy	0.05	0.49	5	939.2%
27	Marche Polytechnic University (UNIVPM), Italy	0.50	0.47	5	-9.8%
28	University of Ferrara (UNIFE), Italy	0.66	0.45	6	-34.0%
29	University of Siena (UNISI), Italy	0.74	0.37	4	-51.4%
30	University of Basilicata, Italy	0.14	0.34	2	127.9%
31	University of Urbino, Italy	0.82	0.32	5	-62.3%
32	University of Trieste (UNITS), Italy	0.23	0.28	5	17.2%
33	University of Palermo (UNIPA), Italy	1.04	0.23	4	-78.5%
34	University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy	0.00	0.23	5	0.0%
35	Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy	0.00	0.20	3	0.0%
36	University of Udine (UNIUD), Italy	0.01	0.18	3	2,873.9%
37	Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS), Italy	0.18	0.16	3	-17.7%
38	University of Tuscia (UNITUS), Italy	0.00	0.15	4	0.0%
39	Bocconi University, Italy	0.00	0.13	3	0.0%
40	University of Sassari (UniSS), Italy	0.02	0.10	3	400.5%
41	University of Molise (UNIMOL), Italy	0.42	0.10	2	-76.5%
42	Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Italy	0.05	0.07	3	40.2%
43	University of Messina (UNIME), Italy	0.03	0.06	4	101.7%
44	University of Trento (UNITN), Italy	0.00	0.05	7	0.0%
45	University of Cassino and Southern Lazio (UNICAS), Italy	0.31	0.05	2	-84.4%
46	University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), Italy	0.75	0.04	3	-94.2%
47	University of Genova, Italy	1.92	0.04	3	-98.0%
48	University of L'Aquila (UNIVAQ), Italy	0.39	0.03	3	-91.3%
49	University of Salento, Italy	0.00	0.00	2	0.0%
49	University of Cagliari (UNICA), Italy	0.67	0.00	2	-99.5%
49	University of Teramo (UniTE), Italy	0.00	0.00	2	0.0%
49	University of Calabria (UNICAL), Italy	0.14	0.00	2	-97.8%
49	University of Camerino (UNICAM), Italy	0.01	0.00	2	-58.9%
50	University for Foreigners Perugia (UNISTRAPG), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	Università Iuav di Venezia (IUAV), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	Orientale University of Naples, Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	University of Brescia (UNIBS), Italy	0.00	0.00	2	0.0%
50	University of Macerata (UNIMC), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	University of Bergamo, Italy	0.01	0.00	1	-57.7%
50	Institute for Advanced Study (IUSS Pavia), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	University of Sannio, Italy	0.14	0.00	1	-98.2%
50	Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria (UNIRC), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	Foro Italico University of Rome, Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	University of Magna Graecia (UMG), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	University of Foggia (UNIFG), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	University of Eastern Piedmont "Amedeo Avogadro" (UNIPMN), Italy	0.00	0.00	1	0.0%
50	Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Italy	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.
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2020 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in Earth & environmental sciences

Table criteria

Footnote