2021 tables: Institutions - physical sciences - academic

The 2021 tables 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 89.20 108.36 218 12.9%
2 Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea 74.53 78.08 265 -2.6%
3 Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea 53.38 55.98 137 -2.5%
4 Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea 42.06 50.87 151 12.4%
5 Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), South Korea 51.87 50.43 190 -9.6%
6 Yonsei University, South Korea 45.92 44.32 170 -10.3%
7 Korea University, South Korea 28.95 41.15 194 32.1%
8 Hanyang University (HYU), South Korea 23.27 21.51 128 -14.1%
9 Kyung Hee University (KHU), South Korea 16.11 17.76 99 2.4%
10 Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), South Korea 10.93 14.27 37 21.3%
11 Chung-Ang University (CAU), South Korea 7.31 10.44 32 32.9%
12 Sogang University, South Korea 5.06 10.14 30 86.2%
13 Pusan National University (PNU), South Korea 8.08 7.46 58 -14.2%
14 Kyungpook National University (KNU), South Korea 7.55 7.46 91 -8.3%
15 Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), South Korea 9.05 7.01 20 -28.0%
16 Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea 7.02 6.66 47 -11.8%
17 Ajou University (AJOU), South Korea 3.29 6.24 21 76.5%
18 Sejong University, South Korea 6.74 5.12 93 -29.4%
19 University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea 4.02 4.90 40 13.3%
20 Kwangwoon University, South Korea 2.06 4.70 6 111.6%
21 Konkuk University, South Korea 3.18 4.53 15 32.4%
22 University of Seoul (UOS), South Korea 8.25 4.45 69 -49.8%
23 Chonnam National University, South Korea 6.83 3.91 74 -46.9%
24 Inha University, South Korea 5.93 3.85 40 -39.7%
25 Chungnam National University (CNU), South Korea 4.38 3.72 16 -21.2%
26 University of Ulsan (UOU), South Korea 1.61 3.62 18 108.8%
27 Ewha Womans University (Ewha), South Korea 6.63 3.54 29 -50.3%
28 Jeju National University, South Korea 0.97 3.25 5 211.2%
29 Kookmin University, South Korea 1.85 2.73 9 37.4%
30 Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech), South Korea 3.48 2.64 5 -29.3%
31 Dongguk University, South Korea 6.03 2.58 11 -60.2%
32 Gyeongsang National University (GNU), South Korea 2.42 2.17 19 -16.7%
33 Sookmyung Women's University, South Korea 1.14 1.95 10 59.6%
34 Chungbuk National University, South Korea 2.79 1.65 9 -45.0%
35 The Catholic University of Korea, South Korea 1.89 1.60 6 -21.4%
36 Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), South Korea 0.15 1.40 3 758.8%
37 Hallym University, South Korea 1.49 1.38 4 -14.2%
38 Yeungnam University, South Korea 1.85 1.34 4 -32.4%
39 Soongsil University, South Korea 1.22 1.33 18 1.7%
40 Kunsan National University, South Korea 0.12 1.28 6 872.7%
41 Gachon University (GCU), South Korea 3.06 1.20 6 -63.5%
42 Incheon National University (INU), South Korea 2.41 1.07 7 -58.8%
43 Dankook University (DKU), South Korea 1.79 1.03 4 -46.2%
44 Kangwon National University, South Korea 0.18 1.03 7 431.4%
45 Korea National University of Transportation (KNUT), South Korea 1.92 1.01 3 -51.0%
46 Pukyong National University (PKNU), South Korea 0.20 0.95 10 331.8%
47 Hongik University, South Korea 1.03 0.77 4 -30.4%
48 Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology (GNTECH), South Korea – 0.74 3 N/A
49 Daegu Haany University, South Korea – 0.69 3 N/A
50 Chosun University, South Korea 0.62 0.52 4 -22.0%
51 Kongju National University, South Korea 0.25 0.51 4 89.3%
52 Korea National University of Education (KNUE), South Korea – 0.50 1 N/A
53 CHA University (CHA), South Korea 0.13 0.47 2 251.1%
54 Jeonju University, South Korea – 0.45 2 N/A
55 Wonkwang University, South Korea 0.33 0.40 3 15.1%
56 Myongji University, South Korea 1.83 0.40 2 -79.7%
57 Dongshin University, South Korea 0.15 0.36 4 125.3%
58 Sunchon National University (SCNU), South Korea 0.33 0.33 1 -7.1%
58 Sahmyook University, South Korea 0.25 0.33 2 23.9%
58 University of Suwon (USW), South Korea – 0.33 1 N/A
59 Korea Polytechnic University, South Korea 0.94 0.27 2 -73.6%
60 Changwon National University, South Korea 0.05 0.25 3 416.6%
61 Mokpo National University, South Korea – 0.23 2 N/A
62 Gwangju National University of Education (GNUE), South Korea 0.00 0.20 2 6202.4%
63 Dong-A University, South Korea – 0.20 1 N/A
63 Catholic University of Daegu, South Korea – 0.20 1 N/A
64 Silla University, South Korea – 0.19 2 N/A
65 Hanbat National University, South Korea 0.13 0.18 1 35.2%
66 Hannam University, South Korea – 0.16 2 N/A
67 Seoul National University of Education (SNEU), South Korea 0.57 0.15 2 -76.2%
68 Inje University, South Korea 1.51 0.12 7 -92.6%
69 Kyonggi University (KGU), South Korea 1.33 0.11 1 -92.3%
70 Keimyung University (KMU), South Korea – 0.08 2 N/A
71 Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT), South Korea 0.94 0.07 1 -92.9%
71 Handong Global University (HGU), South Korea – 0.07 1 N/A
72 Seoyeong University, South Korea 0.03 0.07 2 93.2%
73 Gangneung-Wonju National University (GWNU), South Korea 0.06 0.04 22 -29.6%
74 Sangmyung University, South Korea – 0.01 3 N/A

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 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 82 natural-science journals through 2022, in 2023 64 health-science journals were added to the Index. The 146 journals in the Nature Index were selected on reputation by an independent panel of leading scientists in their fields.
  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 annual tables.

*The change in adjusted Share accounts for the small annual variation in the total number of articles in Nature Index journals. Share values have been adjusted to 2022 levels to calculate the percentage change. For more information on the adjustment, please see the Adjusted metric explainer.


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