21 June, 2013 News stories

BAS rated highly in research institution rankings

NERC’s British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and National Oceanography Centre (NOC) both feature among the world’s top 100 Earth and environmental science institutions, according to a study by Nature Publishing Group.

Published yesterday, the first ever Nature Publishing Index (NPI) Global supplement ranked countries and institutions according to their output of primary research articles in 18 Nature research journals in 2012. It included data from 2008 to 2011 as a comparison.

The study revealed that the UK remains a major power in the scientific world, coming second only to the United States in a ranking of the global top 100 countries for scientific research in 2012.

The UK is particularly strong in life and Earth and environmental sciences, ranking behind only the US on the global list for both, with 14 institutions in the top 100, including BAS, NOC and the Met Office Hadley Centre.

The findings are further evidence of the UK’s leading position in environmental sciences, recently revealed in the International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base 2011 report, published by BIS in 2011.

Professor Duncan Wingham, NERC Chief Executive said:

“This latest Nature report shows the important role NERC research centres and NERC-funded UK universities play in the UK’s success as a global leader for Earth and environmental science and research, and that NERC-funded research is internationally significant.”

The University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford lead the UK institutions, in eighth and 14th places worldwide, while University College London (UCL) features in the top 50 global institutions.

Notes

The Global Nature Publishing Index 2012 supplement was published as a supplement to Nature on 19th June 2013. The ranking is a snapshot based on papers published in 2012; with 2008 to 2011 data also included to show trends.

Contact:

For more information please contact Paul Seagrove in the British Antarctic Survey press office on +44 (0)1223 221414