China has extended its lead in research output, according to data released in the latest Nature Index Research Leaders(data refers to full year 2024 data only – see notes to editors). The country’s Share, the Nature Index’s key metric of author contribution to high-quality research, reached 32,122, a 17% increase on 2023, with the region now having eight institutions in the top 10 compared to 7 in 2023. Asian countries as a whole enjoyed greater dominance, with drops seen from Western institutions in the number of top positions held within the rankings.
The Nature Research Leaders is released annually and based on data from the previous year. It is part of the Nature Index which tracks contributions to research articles published in 145 high-quality natural science and health science publications, from many publishers, and selected by an independent group of researchers.
“The data reflect a profound shift in the global research landscape,” Simon Baker, Chief Editor, Nature Index, said: “China’s continued investment in science and technology is translating into rapid sustained growth in high-quality research output, which in areas such as physical sciences and chemistry is now far outstripping previously dominant Western nations, including the US.”
Other key regional analysis from this years’ table showed:
- Strong growth in research output for countries across Asia. South Korea and India were the only two other countries in the top 10, other than China, to increase their adjusted Share from 2023 — by 4.1% and 2% respectively. South Korea rose to 7th place in the overall rankings, overtaking Canada. Singapore, ranked 16th, up from 18th, posted a 7% increase — the second-largest increase among the top 20 countries after China. Japan was one exception with a 9% decrease.
- Previously dominant Western nations recorded a decline in their adjusted Share for the second year in a row with Canada, France, Switzerland, the UK and US, all recording declines of at least 7%. Australia and Germany showed declines of less than 3%.
On an institutional level:
- Chinese institutions now occupy eight of the top 10 positions in the institutional rankings. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) retained its top spot. The University of Science and Technology of China takes 3rd place, while Zhejiang University (Share 819.57) climbed from 10th to 4th.
- Several Western institutions saw a decline in ranking. Germany’s Max Planck Society fell from 4th to 9th place, while the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) dropped out of the top 10 for the first time, ranking at 13th place. Harvard University recorded an 18% drop in adjusted Share, although it held 2nd place, but Stanford University and MIT both fell in ranking – Stanford from 15th to 16th place, and MIT from 14th to 17th place. The US National Institutes of Health also saw a change, falling out of the top 20 to 24th place.
All data and analysis for this year’s Research Leaders can be found here. The data is based on full year 2024 data.
Note: Nature Index recognises 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 natureindex.com
