2020 tables: Institutions - physical sciences

The 2020 tables are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019.

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# Institution Share 2018 Share 2019 Count 2019 Change in Adjusted Share* 2018–2019
1 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits University), South Africa 4.40 6.55 91 46.7%
2 University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa 2.58 3.38 87 29.1%
3 Durban University of Technology (DUT), South Africa 1.14 3.38 9 192.1%
4 National Institute for Theoretical and Computational Sciences (NITheCS), South Africa 4.04 3.24 13 -21.0%
5 University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa 5.25 2.96 10 -44.5%
6 University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa 2.46 2.30 65 -7.7%
7 North-West University (NWU), South Africa 0.84 2.03 6 137.8%
8 Ain Shams University, Egypt 1.17 1.87 19 57.6%
9 Rhodes University (RU), South Africa 0.33 1.59 17 371.5%
10 Cadi Ayyad University (UCA), Morocco 0.91 1.53 59 66.2%
11 South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), South Africa 1.67 1.30 14 -23.4%
12 Cairo University (CU), Egypt 0.27 1.28 26 361.0%
13 University of the Western Cape (UWC), South Africa 0.57 1.09 9 89.9%
14 Stellenbosch University (SU), South Africa 0.91 1.09 6 17.8%
15 University Hassan II Casablanca (UHII), Morocco 0.07 0.98 55 1308.9%
16 British University in Egypt (BUE), Egypt 0.71 0.98 32 35.8%
17 SKA South Africa, South Africa 0.35 0.92 6 160.3%
18 University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa 0.26 0.75 9 184.3%
19 University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin 0.33 0.52 2 52.5%
20 University of Pretoria (UP), South Africa 0.26 0.51 7 95.0%
21 University of Douala, Cameroon – 0.50 1 N/A
22 NRF iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences (IThemba Labs), South Africa 0.12 0.49 20 284.5%
23 Université Ibn Zohr, Morocco 0.17 0.46 2 171.1%
24 Assiut University, Egypt 0.07 0.45 3 526.8%
25 Ethiopia Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Ethiopia – 0.38 1 N/A
25 University of Sciences, Arts and Technology of Natitingou (USATN), Benin – 0.38 1 N/A
25 Uganda Ministry of Health, Uganda – 0.38 1 N/A
26 University of Benghazi (UoB), Libya – 0.33 1 N/A
27 Mansoura University, Egypt – 0.31 3 N/A
28 Benha University, Egypt – 0.29 2 N/A
29 University Ibn Tofaïl (UIT), Morocco – 0.28 21 N/A
30 Centre de Recherche en Astronomie Astrophysique et Géophysique (CRAAG), Algeria – 0.25 1 N/A
30 Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables (CDER), Algeria – 0.25 1 N/A
30 Cameroon Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Cameroon – 0.25 1 N/A
31 Al-Azhar University, Egypt 0.09 0.24 2 177.9%
32 Wollega University (WU), Ethiopia – 0.24 2 N/A
33 Egyptian Relativity Group (ERG), Egypt – 0.22 1 N/A
34 Mohammed V University, Morocco 0.34 0.20 53 -42.1%
35 University of Sfax, Tunisia – 0.19 1 N/A
35 University of Rwanda, Rwanda – 0.19 2 N/A
36 Helwan University (HU), Egypt 0.02 0.18 13 665.3%
37 American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt – 0.17 3 N/A
38 Abdelmalek Essaâdi University (UAE), Morocco 0.17 0.17 1 -1.4%
38 Beni-Suef University (BSU), Egypt – 0.17 2 N/A
39 Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST), Egypt 0.06 0.16 2 149.7%
40 University of Science and Technology Houari Boumedienne (USTHB), Algeria – 0.14 1 N/A
41 Damietta University, Egypt 0.04 0.13 1 232.7%
41 Tunis El Manar University (UTM), Tunisia 0.06 0.13 1 121.8%
41 Menoufia University, Egypt 0.13 0.13 1 -8.0%
41 Université Nationale d’Agriculture (UNA), Benin – 0.13 1 N/A
41 University of Carthage (UCAR), Tunisia – 0.13 1 N/A
42 Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), South Africa 0.21 0.12 2 -45.9%
43 University of Tiaret, Algeria – 0.12 1 N/A
44 Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia 0.17 0.11 1 -34.3%
45 Mekelle University, Ethiopia – 0.10 1 N/A
46 Council for Geoscience (CGS), South Africa – 0.09 1 N/A
47 Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa 0.12 0.09 22 -25.6%
48 Mintek, South Africa 0.04 0.08 1 119.1%
48 South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), South Africa 0.04 0.08 1 119.1%
48 Department of Science and Technology (DST), South Africa 0.05 0.08 1 71.4%
48 University of Limpopo, South Africa 0.05 0.08 1 71.4%
48 Nelson Mandela University (NMU), South Africa 0.30 0.08 1 -72.4%
48 Sohag University, Egypt – 0.08 1 N/A
49 University of Mostaganem, Algeria – 0.08 1 N/A
50 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria – 0.07 1 N/A
50 Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), Nigeria – 0.07 1 N/A
51 Université Mohammed Premier (UMP), Morocco 0.63 0.07 53 -89.3%
52 Makerere University, Uganda – 0.06 1 N/A
52 Abdou Moumouni University (UAM), Niger – 0.06 1 N/A
52 Minia University, Egypt – 0.06 1 N/A
52 Zagazig University, Egypt – 0.06 1 N/A
53 Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), Egypt 0.08 0.06 69 -29.3%
54 Suez University, Egypt 0.15 0.06 16 -61.0%
55 University of Monastir (UM), Tunisia – 0.06 1 N/A
56 Alexandria University, Egypt 0.10 0.05 1 -50.7%
57 Constantine 1 University, Algeria 0.01 0.04 33 267.3%
58 Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), Egypt 0.03 0.04 1 28.9%
59 University of Namibia (UNAM), Namibia 0.03 0.04 4 16.2%
60 Université de Parakou, Benin – 0.04 1 N/A
61 EMSS Group, South Africa – 0.04 1 N/A
62 Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania – 0.03 1 N/A
62 CSIR Water Research Institute, Ghana – 0.03 1 N/A
62 University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Nigeria – 0.03 1 N/A
62 University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – 0.03 1 N/A
62 Ministère des Mines, De I'Energie et de I'Eau, Benin – 0.03 1 N/A
63 Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco – 0.03 1 N/A
64 Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), Botswana – 0.03 1 N/A
65 Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya – 0.02 2 N/A
66 Centre National de l'Energie, des Sciences et des Techniques Nuclaires / Rabat (CNESTEN), Morocco 0.05 0.02 3 -58.5%
67 Animal Clinic Mombasa, Kenya – 0.01 1 N/A
67 Lilongwe Society for Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA), Malawi – 0.01 1 N/A
67 National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Nigeria – 0.01 1 N/A
67 Nakuru District Veterinary Scheme Ltd., Kenya – 0.01 1 N/A
67 Animal Anti Cruelty League (AACL), South Africa – 0.01 1 N/A
67 Ladybrand Animal Clinic, South Africa – 0.01 1 N/A
67 Kampala Veterinary Surgery, Uganda – 0.01 1 N/A
67 École Inter-Etats des Sciences et Médecine Vétérinaires de Dakar (EISMV), Senegal – 0.01 1 N/A
67 Touray and Meyer Veterinary Clinic, Gambia – 0.01 1 N/A
68 University of Nigeria (UNN), Nigeria – 0.01 1 N/A
69 African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), South Africa 0.01 0.01 3 9.7%
70 Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission (PICC), South Africa – 0.01 1 N/A
70 Peralex Electronics Pty Ltd., South Africa – 0.01 1 N/A
70 Tellumat Pty Ltd., South Africa – 0.01 1 N/A
71 University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa 0.14 0.01 1 -93.9%
72 Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), South Africa – 0.01 1 N/A
73 Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt 0.40 0.00 19 -98.9%
74 Nile University (NU), Egypt – 0.00 1 N/A
75 National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), South Africa – 0.00 1 N/A
75 Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA), South Africa – 0.00 1 N/A
75 South African National Blood Service (SANBS), South Africa – 0.00 1 N/A
76 Fayoum University (FU), Egypt 0.00 0.00 6 -61.8%

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.


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