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

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