UNAB Ranks Among Chile’s Top Five Universities in the Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders

Universidad Andrés continues to strengthen its position as one of Chile’s leading institutions in high-impact scientific research, ranking fifth nationally in the Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders, one of the world’s most widely recognized assessments of high-quality scientific output. In South America, the University ranked 23rd among the region’s higher education institutions.

The Nature Index Research Leaders ranks universities and research centers worldwide based on publications in 178 high-impact scientific journals considered among the most influential within the international scientific community. The assessment reflects both the quality of their research and their contribution to the generation of new knowledge.

«In recent years, we have provided substantial support in the form of scientific infrastructure, state-of-the-art equipment, and technology platforms that enable our researchers to conduct cutting-edge research and accelerate the generation of knowledge. This ecosystem, together with the talent of our researchers and our national and international collaboration networks, allows us to continue contributing impactful research that addresses today’s challenges,» said Carolina Torrealba, Dean of Research and Doctoral Programs.

UNAB in the Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders

The results by subject area highlight several important areas of strength for UNAB.

In Natural Sciences, the University ranked fifth nationally and 20th in South America. Within this subject area, UNAB performed particularly well in Chemistry, maintaining its first-place ranking in Chile and ranking fourth in South America. In Biological Sciences, it ranked fifth nationally and 28th in South America.

In Applied Sciences, UNAB ranked seventh in Chile and 41st in the region. It also ranked ninth nationally in Health Sciences and Social Sciences, placing 52nd and 30th in South America, respectively.

The assessment considers indicators of research output and contribution known as Count and Share. Beginning with this edition, it uses a revised methodology that classifies each article according to its specific subject rather than the primary discipline of the journal in which it was published. This allows for a more accurate and representative assessment of each institution’s scientific output. The ranking has also expanded its coverage to include publications in applied sciences and social sciences.

Internationally, Zhejiang University in China leads the Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders among universities, followed by Harvard University in the United States and Tsinghua University in China.