2021 Research Leaders: Leading institutions in physical sciences

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

Table criteria

Region/country

Sector

Subject/journals

Position	Institution	Share 2019	Share 2020	Count 2020	Change in Adjusted Share* 2019–2020
1	Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China	529.60	572.87	2074	0.6%
2	University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), China	167.59	184.31	611	2.2%
3	Peking University (PKU), China	150.91	166.78	668	2.7%
4	Tsinghua University, China	184.09	165.16	698	-16.6%
5	University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), China	130.81	143.25	908	1.8%
6	Nanjing University (NJU), China	128.27	134.53	411	-2.5%
7	Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), China	84.10	117.06	374	29.4%
8	Zhejiang University (ZJU), China	90.76	114.27	352	17.0%
9	Fudan University, China	95.29	90.35	302	-11.9%
10	Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China	44.60	83.02	247	73.1%
11	Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China	86.86	79.81	215	-14.6%
12	Soochow University, China	94.38	78.64	205	-22.5%
13	Nankai University (NKU), China	46.91	61.26	183	21.4%
14	Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), China	64.38	60.86	216	-12.1%
15	Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), China	60.10	59.37	157	-8.2%
16	Tianjin University (TJU), China	57.77	56.04	175	-9.8%
17	Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China	44.04	54.31	138	14.6%
18	Beihang University (BUAA), China	54.29	54.25	278	-7.1%
19	Wuhan University (WHU), China	61.18	53.70	186	-18.4%
20	Jilin University (JLU), China	49.92	52.04	143	-3.1%
21	Xiamen University (XMU), China	33.96	50.93	114	39.4%
22	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), China	47.06	49.04	177	-3.1%
23	Sichuan University (SCU), China	40.45	47.46	102	9.1%
24	Shandong University (SDU), China	32.62	43.24	159	23.2%
25	City University of Hong Kong (CityU), China	35.87	42.73	139	10.8%
26	South China University of Technology (SCUT), China	43.19	41.75	117	-10.1%
27	Hunan University (HNU), China	31.41	40.00	118	18.4%
28	Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), China	33.86	38.84	118	6.6%
29	University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), China	24.91	37.52	99	40.0%
30	Beijing Normal University (BNU), China	23.53	36.88	117	45.7%
31	Shenzhen University (SZU), China	35.17	33.32	110	-11.9%
32	East China Normal University (ECNU), China	23.06	32.98	98	33.0%
33	Lanzhou University (LZU), China	18.73	32.75	100	62.6%
34	Southeast University (SEU), China	33.02	32.70	104	-7.9%
35	University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), China	29.40	32.03	86	1.3%
36	The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), China	16.57	30.87	103	73.2%
37	Central South University (CSU), China	20.33	29.50	86	34.9%
38	The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), China	33.72	28.37	144	-21.8%
39	ShanghaiTech University, China	16.42	27.48	103	55.6%
40	Tongji University, China	24.52	26.06	84	-1.2%
41	Zhengzhou University (ZZU), China	21.27	25.78	139	12.7%
42	Chongqing University (CQU), China	16.78	25.69	62	42.3%
43	Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT), China	23.99	25.58	71	-0.9%
44	Donghua University (DHU), China	23.23	25.53	59	2.1%
45	Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), China	15.53	23.01	95	37.7%
46	Dalian University of Technology (DUT), China	20.55	20.84	56	-5.7%
47	Wuhan University of Technology (WUT), China	14.85	20.44	55	27.9%
48	China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP), China	22.68	20.17	75	-17.3%
49	The University of Hong Kong (HKU), China	27.22	19.25	133	-34.3%
50	Nanjing University of Science and Technology (NUST), China	17.20	19.14	48	3.4%
51	Jinan University (JNU), China	16.94	19.08	47	4.7%
52	Nanjing Tech University (NanjingTech), China	20.96	18.63	50	-17.4%
53	Shanghai University (SHU), China	20.39	17.80	52	-18.9%
54	Hunan Normal University (HUNNU), China	7.02	17.70	48	134.4%
55	Shanxi University (SXU), China	8.29	16.79	100	88.3%
56	South China Normal University (SCNU), China	23.86	16.28	95	-36.6%
57	Central China Normal University (CCNU), China	13.96	16.16	106	7.6%
58	People's Liberation Army (PLA), China	10.02	13.36	101	24.0%
59	Guangdong University of Technology (GDUT), China	7.02	13.30	39	76.2%
60	Hebei University (HBU), China	7.56	13.28	27	63.3%
61	Yangzhou University (YZU), China	10.16	13.20	38	20.8%
62	Anhui University (AHU), China	3.44	12.64	47	241.2%
63	Xidian University, China	10.19	12.36	35	12.7%
64	Beijing University of Technology (BJUT), China	9.55	11.69	41	13.8%
65	Northeastern University (NEU), China	3.33	11.52	37	221.4%
66	Nanchang University (NCU), China	15.36	11.08	26	-33.0%
67	Henan University (HENU), China	9.23	11.01	34	11.0%
68	Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), China	6.27	10.62	21	57.5%
69	Hefei University of Technology (HFUT), China	10.51	10.33	25	-8.6%
70	East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), China	13.21	10.32	26	-27.3%
71	Renmin University of China (RUC), China	11.59	10.18	36	-18.3%
72	Hubei University (HUBU), China	4.79	10.10	23	96.1%
73	Shaanxi Normal University (SNNU), China	10.29	9.60	31	-13.3%
74	Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), China	11.38	9.54	34	-22.0%
75	Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), China	10.34	9.37	30	-15.8%
76	Nanjing Normal University (NNU), China	15.46	9.30	53	-44.1%
77	Northeast Normal University (NENU), China	7.94	9.16	17	7.3%
78	Northwest University (NWU), China	5.51	9.13	37	54.2%
79	Yanshan University (YSU), China	9.27	9.12	29	-8.6%
80	Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NUPT), China	8.35	9.08	29	1.1%
81	Southwest University (SWU), China	6.85	8.53	20	15.8%
82	Jiangnan University, China	3.51	8.48	23	124.8%
83	Henan Normal University, China	7.08	8.40	40	10.3%
84	Fuzhou University (FZU), China	9.69	8.37	19	-19.7%
85	Qingdao University (QU), China	8.83	8.27	28	-13.0%
86	Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), China	6.27	8.11	26	20.2%
87	National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), China	8.31	7.87	35	-11.9%
88	China Pharmaceutical University (CPU), China	9.60	7.87	13	-23.9%
89	Southern Medical University (SMU), China	0.86	7.71	24	732.0%
90	Tianjin University of Technology (TJUT), China	2.50	7.63	23	183.1%
91	FiberHome Technologies Group, China	8.23	7.06	70	-20.2%
92	Westlake University, China	4.03	7.02	30	62.2%
93	Jiangsu University (JSU), China	4.60	6.84	20	38.3%
94	Shandong Normal University (SDNU), China	4.80	6.66	38	29.1%
95	China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), China	8.28	6.65	76	-25.4%
96	Jiangxi Normal University (JXNU), China	2.57	6.21	20	124.4%
97	Capital Normal University (CNU), China	7.24	6.04	16	-22.5%
98	Ocean University of China (OUC), China	2.10	5.92	18	162.5%
99	Xiangtan University (XTU), China	4.74	5.88	24	15.2%
100	China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT), China	1.30	5.87	15	319.5%

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.
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2021 Research Leaders: Leading institutions in physical sciences

Table criteria

Footnote