2018 tables: Institutions - biological sciences

The 2018 tables are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017.

Table criteria

# Institution Share 2016 Share 2017 Count 2017 Change in Adjusted Share* 2016–2017
1 University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa 4.65 3.76 42 -21.3%
2 University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa 1.16 3.48 22 192.6%
3 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits University), South Africa 1.15 3.27 23 176.6%
4 University of Pretoria (UP), South Africa 1.28 1.20 15 -8.5%
5 Africa Health Research Institute, South Africa 1.29 1.18 8 -11.0%
6 University of Science, Technique and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Mali 0.03 1.16 6 3975.9%
7 Burkina Faso Ministry of Health, Burkina Faso 0.06 0.97 5 1508.6%
8 Stellenbosch University (SU), South Africa 1.88 0.97 17 -49.9%
9 International Centre for Medical Research in Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon 0.41 0.84 5 101.1%
10 Mpala Research Centre (MRCC), Kenya 0.82 3 N/A
11 University of Malawi, Malawi 0.26 0.82 6 204.5%
12 University of Antananarivo, Madagascar 0.11 0.75 4 557.7%
13 Budongo Conservation Field Station (BCFS), Uganda 0.39 0.74 2 84.1%
14 Uganda Ministry of Health, Uganda 0.70 4 N/A
15 Kalahari Meerkat Project (KMP), South Africa 0.60 0.63 2 2.1%
16 South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), South Africa 0.06 0.59 9 842.4%
17 Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya 0.16 0.56 9 233.4%
18 National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), South Africa 0.38 0.50 19 27.6%
19 Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), South Africa 0.05 0.48 5 836.4%
20 Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, Botswana 0.44 0.46 1 0.3%
21 Agricultural Research Council (ARC), South Africa 0.29 0.43 4 43.9%
22 Seychelles National Parks Authority (SNPA), Seychelles 0.43 1 N/A
23 University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 0.25 0.42 2 63.9%
24 National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt 0.56 0.31 6 -45.6%
25 University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa 0.51 0.31 5 -41.1%
26 Organic Health Response (OHR), Kenya 0.30 1 N/A
27 Marien Ngouabi University (UMNG), Congo 0.01 0.29 1 4067.5%
27 Société d'exploitation du Parc de Lékédi (SODEPAL), Gabon 0.03 0.29 1 900.2%
27 Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP SA), Morocco 0.29 1 N/A
28 University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa 0.13 0.28 7 110.4%
29 National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Tanzania 0.07 0.28 5 282.2%
30 Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), South Africa 0.28 1 N/A
31 National Museums of Kenya (NMK), Kenya 0.82 0.27 2 -67.6%
32 Rhodes University (RU), South Africa 0.03 0.26 3 822.6%
33 The Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi 0.26 2 N/A
34 Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DREN), Namibia 0.25 1 N/A
34 Association Vahatra, Madagascar 0.02 0.25 1 921.0%
34 World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Kenya 0.23 0.25 1 6.0%
34 Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), Zimbabwe 0.25 1 N/A
34 Sasol Limited, South Africa 0.25 1 N/A
35 Makerere University, Uganda 0.22 0.24 5 3.4%
36 University of La Réunion, Reunion 0.24 0.23 8 -6.7%
37 Mansoura University, Egypt 0.17 0.21 5 19.1%
38 University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN), Congo 0.06 0.21 2 218.0%
39 Hopital Universitaire Hedi Chaker, Tunisia 0.20 1 N/A
39 National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Uganda 0.20 1 N/A
40 Mohammed V University, Morocco 0.37 0.19 3 -49.4%
41 Sudan Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Sudan 0.19 1 N/A
42 University of Bamako, Mali 0.07 0.19 3 184.3%
43 University of Buea (UB), Cameroon 0.06 0.17 4 175.6%
44 South Africa Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), South Africa 0.01 0.17 1 1699.0%
44 African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), South Africa 0.01 0.17 1 1002.1%
44 University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon 0.17 1 N/A
44 Menoufia University, Egypt 0.17 1 N/A
44 Ivory Coast Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS), Ivory Coast 0.26 0.17 1 -37.3%
45 Sohag University, Egypt 0.17 0.16 2 -8.8%
46 University of Ghana, Ghana 0.37 0.16 3 -58.3%
47 Department of Science and Technology (DST), South Africa 0.07 0.16 7 120.4%
48 Organization of Coordination for the Fight against Endemic Diseases in Central Africa (OCEAC), Cameroon 0.15 3 N/A
49 Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone 0.27 0.15 2 -46.1%
50 NRF South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), South Africa 0.05 0.15 1 188.1%
50 Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Uganda 0.10 0.15 1 44.7%
51 Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), Zimbabwe 0.14 1 N/A
52 South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South Africa 0.19 0.14 1 -27.4%
53 Kenema Government Hospital (KGH), Sierra Leone 0.18 0.14 2 -25.2%
54 Centre de Support en Santé Internationale (CSSI), Chad 0.14 1 N/A
55 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria 0.18 0.13 1 -28.5%
56 International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Kenya 0.14 0.13 1 -12.5%
57 Ain Shams University, Egypt 0.10 0.12 3 16.2%
58 Tunis El Manar University (UTM), Tunisia 0.04 0.11 2 188.9%
59 Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), Ivory Coast 0.11 2 N/A
60 University of Sfax, Tunisia 0.11 2 N/A
61 Alexandria University, Egypt 0.03 0.10 4 194.6%
62 Cairo University (CU), Egypt 0.48 0.10 4 -79.3%
63 F. Hached University Teaching Hospital, Tunisia 0.18 0.10 1 -45.9%
64 Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia 0.10 2 N/A
65 Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Tanzania 0.15 0.10 1 -34.2%
65 National School of Biotechnology "Toufik Khaznadar" (ENSB), Algeria 0.10 1 N/A
66 University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa 0.25 0.10 2 -61.6%
67 University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin 0.27 0.10 3 -64.7%
68 University of Limpopo, South Africa 0.10 1 N/A
69 University of Ibadan (UI), Nigeria 0.02 0.10 4 366.3%
70 Iziko Museums of Cape Town, South Africa 0.06 0.09 3 44.7%
71 Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, Morocco 0.09 1 N/A
71 Females Rising through Empowerment, Support, and Health (FRESH) Study, South Africa 0.09 1 N/A
72 Minia University, Egypt 0.16 0.09 2 -45.6%
73 Ahimsa Group LLC, Kenya 0.08 1 N/A
73 Zambia Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS), Zambia 0.08 1 N/A
73 Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB), Ivory Coast 0.08 1 N/A
74 Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), Tanzania 0.03 0.08 3 165.6%
75 Maseno University, Kenya 0.08 1 N/A
75 National Centre for Training and Research in Rural Health (CNFRSR), Guinea 0.08 1 N/A
75 Ministère des Ressources Halieutiques et de la Pêche (MRHP), Madagascar 0.08 1 N/A
76 Suez University, Egypt 0.07 1 N/A
76 Nature Seychelles, Seychelles 0.07 1 N/A
77 Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt 0.07 2 N/A
78 University of Yaounde I (UYI), Cameroon 0.05 0.07 3 16.3%
79 National Center for Scientific and Technological Research (CENAREST), Gabon 0.02 0.06 1 233.4%
80 Suez Canal University (SCU), Egypt 0.07 0.06 1 -10.7%
80 Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC), Uganda 0.06 1 N/A
80 Chouaib Doukkali University (UCD), Morocco 0.06 1 N/A
81 Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ghana 0.06 0.06 2 -3.7%
82 Egyptian Research and Training Center (ERTC), Egypt 0.06 1 N/A
82 Tanta University, Egypt 0.10 0.06 1 -46.0%
82 Namibia Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Namibia 0.06 1 N/A
82 American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt 0.06 1 N/A
82 Malaria Research and Training Centre, Sudan 0.06 1 N/A
83 Hopital Benaknoun, Algeria 0.05 1 N/A
84 National Museum of Tanzania, Tanzania 0.01 0.05 1 235.9%
84 African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Central African Republic 0.05 1 N/A
84 Malawi Department of Museums and Monuments, Malawi 0.05 1 N/A
84 Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire (LCV), Mali 0.05 1 N/A
84 University of Kisangani (UNIKIS), Congo 0.05 1 N/A
84 Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania 0.28 0.05 1 -84.4%
85 Kimberley Hospital, South Africa 0.10 0.04 1 -57.7%
86 University of Sierra Leone (USL), Sierra Leone 0.04 0.04 2 4.7%
87 Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia 0.35 0.04 1 -88.0%
88 Future University of Egypt (FUE), Egypt 0.04 1 N/A
89 Université Polytechnique de Bobo-Dioulasso (UPB), Burkina Faso 0.04 1 N/A
90 Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), South Africa 0.04 1 N/A
90 Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB), Botswana 0.04 1 N/A
90 Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), Namibia 0.04 1 N/A
90 University of Béjaïa, Algeria 0.04 1 N/A
90 Ministère de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable, Niger 0.04 1 N/A
91 Zagazig University, Egypt 0.06 0.04 1 -40.2%
92 National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Nigeria 0.05 0.03 1 -31.9%
92 34th Regimental Military Hospital, Sierra Leone 0.03 1 N/A
92 Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA), Senegal 0.03 1 N/A
93 University of Monastir (UM), Tunisia 0.04 0.03 1 -27.1%
94 Université Mohammed Premier (UMP), Morocco 0.03 0.03 1 3.0%
95 Cameroon Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Cameroon 0.03 1 N/A
96 Zambian Carnivore Programme, Zambia 0.03 1 N/A
97 Ibn Zohr Institute, Tunisia 0.03 1 N/A
98 Centre de Recherches Médicales et Sanitaires (CERMES), Niger 0.03 0.02 1 -14.6%
98 Centre Hospitalier des Armées Bouffard, Djibouti 0.02 1 N/A
99 Congo Ministry of Health, Congo 0.06 0.02 1 -65.6%
100 Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Egypt 0.02 1 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.