NTU in world's top 100 list for science research papers, rose by over 140 places

It went up more than 140 places to finish 73rd globally in an index released on Thursday by the prestigious Nature Publishing Group, which publishes journals covering mainly the physical, chemical and life sciences.

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Here is the press release from Nanyang Technological University (NTU):

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has rocketed up the global top 100 in the Nature Publishing Index, a ranking by one of the world's most prestigious specialist research publications. NTU recorded a 250 per cent increase in its research output and soared 144 places, to be ranked 73rd internationally. NTU is also ranked 12th in the Asia-Pacific region, climbing 23 spots from 35th last year.

A key factor to NTU's rise in the Nature Publishing Index, which is based on papers published in a single calendar year, has been the five research papers it published as a single institution (i.e. research by NTU scientists only), as well as from the rise in the total number of papers that NTU published singly or jointly with other institutions in the Nature journals. It went up from 14 in 2012 to 37 in 2013. Half of these papers were led by NTU researchers.

Notably, three of the NTU-only papers' lead authors are outstanding young scientists recruited through the National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship and NTU's premier Nanyang Assistant Professorship programmes.

NTU President, Prof Bertil Andersson said "Publishing in the Nature journals is an important badge of distinction for many scientists. With our outstanding faculty, researchers and even young professors working on exciting and important solutions to global problems, I am proud that NTU scores so highly in this measure of research impact."

"The strong overall performance of Singapore's institutions also speaks volumes about the nation's progress in research and development. Singaporeans should be proud that this small country continues to punch above its weight in science by producing high-quality academic research. This is remarkable, especially when we compare it to other countries that major in research," he added.

Academics publish their ground-breaking results in the Nature journals, which cover a broad spectrum of basic research fields including in the life sciences, physics, chemistry, materials, nanotechnology, photonics and geoscience.

Published annually, the Nature Publishing Index (NPI) Asia Pacific supplement shows where some of the best research in the region is being carried out. It ranks the region's countries and institutions according to their output of primary research articles in Nature and the 17 Nature research journals in 2013, and includes data from 2009 to 2012 for comparison.

In its Asia Pacific supplement released today, Nature noted that during the first year of operation, researchers at NTU's Centre for Disruptive Photonic Technologies published significant papers in Nature Communications on optical cloaking and a graphene-based light sensor that received widespread global coverage. The centre, founded and headed by Prof Nikolay Zheludev, a professor of physics and electronic and electrical engineering, and a world leader in the field of nanophotonics and metamaterials, is "a good example of how Singapore has attracted international expertise to establish globally linked research units," Nature said.

The remarkable showing by NTU in the Nature Publishing Index marks another landmark for the young fast-rising university, following its recent achievement in the 2014 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject, released last month.

In that QS ranking, NTU had three subjects ranked among the world's top ten. NTU's Communication & Media Studies was placed 6th in the world, while Materials Science was 8th and Electrical & Electronic Engineering 10th. Earlier in September last year, NTU moved up six places to No. 41 in the QS 2013 World University Rankings.

Here is the press release from the National University of Singapore (NUS):

The first institution in Singapore to break into the Nature Publishing Index (NPI) Global Top 100 list in 2012, NUS has done even better this year by taking a leap up the rankings chart. The NPI 2013, released today, places NUS at the 46th position among its Global Top 100 list of research institutions, up 28 places from 74th in 2012. The University has also moved up three spots in the NPI Asia-Pacific rankings this year to the 6th place, outdoing top research institutions in the region.

The rankings are published in the NPI 2013 Asia-Pacific supplement released together with the 27 March 2014 issue of Nature. They are based on the NPI, a measurement of the output in 2013 of research articles in Nature and its family of 17 other Nature-branded sister journals, which are internationally recognised as the pre-eminent platform for publication of the very best international research.

Delighted with the University's performance in the NPI rankings, NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan said: "This is a recognition of the impact and quality of our research, which has increased dramatically over a broad range of fields. Our Research Centres of Excellence for quantum technologies, mechanobiology and cancer science are at the frontiers of their fields, as is the Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering in which NUS is a partner. Several NUS research centres and programmes are international leaders in areas ranging from graphene and new materials to lipidomics and medicine.

"We will continue to strengthen NUS' research excellence by building upon our broad-based research capabilities, pioneering new research areas and developing new strengths at the interfaces between some of our leading-edge programmes, and through our strategic research partnerships. We will also strive to contribute insights, ideas and solutions to major issues for the benefit of Singapore and the world."

Mr Nick Campbell, Executive Editor of Nature and Global Head of Macmillan Science Communication, said: "The National University of Singapore's reputation as one of the Asia-Pacific's strongest research institutions is likely to be enhanced by this year's output in the Nature Publishing Index: NUS almost doubled its contribution to the Nature family of journals from last year, with a particularly strong contribution from its materials researchers. My thanks and congratulations go to all those NUS researchers who published their research in our journals."

The NPI, which is used primarily as an indicator of strength in high quality basic research, is released by the Nature Publishing Group, one of the most highly respected and oldest publishers in the academic and professional scientific community.