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.
Other key regional analysis from this years’ table showed:
- 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. . . .
- 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%. . . .
- 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.
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