Nature Index Ranking: U. Andrés Bello among the top three universities in Chile and 16th in South America

The prestigious measurement evaluates the scientific production of institutions worldwide based on high-impact publications in 82 specialized journals. In this version covering 2022, UNAB ranks third nationally, first among non-traditional private universities, and 16th in South America.

For the second consecutive year, Universidad Andrés Bello is positioned among Chile’s top three higher education institutions regarding high-quality scientific production. For 2022, UNAB ranked third, behind Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Universidad Católica, in the prestigious Nature Index Ranking, which evaluates the scientific output of institutions worldwide based on high-impact publications in 82 specialized journals.

The university maintained its place among the 20 best institutions in South America, ranking sixteenth.

Ranked by fields of study, the Nature Index Ranking highlights UNAB in first place nationally in Chemistry and seventh place in South America. In addition, the institution maintains the excellent performance achieved in the rest of the categories, ranking fourth nationally in Biological Sciences, sixth in Physical Sciences, and eighth in Environmental Sciences.

It should be noted, for the first time in its history, the Nature Index Ranking measures scientific production published in high-quality medical journals. In this new Health Sciences category, Universidad Andrés Bello ranked fourth nationally, after Pontificia Universidad Católica, Universidad de Chile, and Universidad de La Frontera.

«We view the results of the Nature Index ranking with satisfaction, understanding that this is a recognition of the excellent work of our researchers in different disciplines. It is a ranking that finally evaluates the quality of our research, the impact generated, and the collaboration with other institutions, and we are proud to be so well positioned in it,» said UNAB President Julio Castro, who added:

These results are the result of the decision we made early on as an institution to generate knowledge that has an impact on society and is in tune with the challenges we face, and in this way, contribute to positioning the country as a pole of scientific development in the region.

Globally, the best-ranked higher education institution is Harvard University, followed by Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), all in the United States. In South America, the top three places in the Nature Index ranking are held by Brazil, with the University of São Paulo in first position, followed by the State University of Campinas and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Collaboration advancing science

Looking at the results in greater detail, the Nature Index ranking shows that UNAB researchers carry out important collaborative work nationally and internationally. In the international arena, UNAB collaborates with organizations like the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and the University of Virginia.

Along with expressing her pride in the work of the academic and research body, the Dean of Research and Doctoral Studies of Universidad Andrés Bello, Carolina Torrealba, highlighted UNAB’s capacity to generate this solid collaborative network. «This indicates that prestigious institutions, both national and international, value the capabilities that our research community can contribute to advance science in the world and, of course, encourages us to continue working so that our researchers can continue along this path.

Nature Index

Nature Index is a prestigious and recognized ranking that measures the high-impact scientific production generated by institutions worldwide, based on publications in 82 specialized journals. The measurement covers research in Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Physical Sciences. In this latest version, the Health Sciences and four new categories of Natural Sciences were incorporated into the measurement.

Nature Publishing Group has developed this international classification since 2016—the same publisher of the renowned journal Nature and other scientific journals.