The Nature Index research ranking, released on 10/6, evaluated over 125,000 articles published in 178 journals in 2025.
Zhejiang University surpassed Harvard University to claim the top spot among global academic institutions. The university demonstrates strong research capabilities in chemistry, biological sciences, and applied sciences, with growing contributions in social sciences and health.
Zhejiang's publication output increased by 22,7% last year, compared to Harvard University's 0,6% rise. This marks the first time Harvard has lost its leading position since the Nature Index began in 2014.
Tsinghua University, another Chinese institution, secured the third position.
This year's Nature Index ranking highlights the overwhelming dominance of Chinese universities, with 9 institutions in the top 10, one more than last year. The nation also boasts 17 representatives within the top 20.
In contrast, renowned American institutions lagged, with Stanford University placing 12th and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 17th.
When including research from non-university entities such as government institutes, private corporations, and non-governmental organizations, Harvard also ranks behind two Chinese institutions: the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zhejiang University.
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Students at Zhejiang University, China. Photo: Zhejiang University Fanpage |
China remains the largest contributor to global research output. With over 59.000 articles, it is the only nation in the top 10 to achieve a double-digit increase in its contribution rate, approximately 22%, between 2024 and 2025.
Across the 7 specialized fields of the Nature Index, Chinese researchers lead in physical sciences, chemistry, biological sciences, applied sciences, and earth and environmental sciences. Notably, the nation's research institutions account for the entire top 31 in applied sciences, the top 14 in chemistry, and the top 9 in earth and environmental sciences.
Experts believe China's rise is not coincidental. For years, the country has implemented a "talent black hole" strategy, attracting global scholars, including Nobel and Fields Medal laureates, through incentives such as residency permits, high salaries, research funding, and long-term tenured positions.
Conversely, American universities have seen their rankings decline, attributed to legal disputes and reductions in federal research funding.
The Nature Index evaluates the research capabilities of academic institutions and organizations based on the volume of scientific articles published in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals.
In broader, multi-criteria rankings such as THE and QS, Zhejiang University holds the 39th and 49th positions globally, respectively. Within mainland China, it ranks behind Tsinghua, Peking, and Fudan Universities.
Khanh Linh (Source: Nature, SCMP, ZJU)
