Young universities share the secrets of their success
Age is not a barrier to strong research performance as demonstrated by the Nature Index of universities aged 50 and under, which finds that the fastest-growing institutions in terms of high-quality research output are characterised by sharply defined purpose and researcher independence
London | Sydney | New York, 8 December 2021
The Nature Index 2021 Young Universities, published today in Nature, shows that while universities* with the highest increases in high-quality research output in this year’s supplement have shared approaches to purpose, recruitment and researcher independence, they are following different strategies in their respective drives to growth.
For the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, which is among the fastest rising young universities for physical sciences and chemistry in the Nature Index, this has meant developing a strong framework around research centres with a focus on growing premium research productivity. For another, the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore, India, scientific advancement in select areas and a carefully measured approach to recruitment has proven effective.
Although different strategic approaches are serving young universities well, it is also evident that they share common practices, such as not recruiting faculty members just based on their speciality or seniority within the field, and a willingness to allow researchers the independence to run their own labs. This approach has been employed by many of the young Asian universities that continue to feature heavily in the Young Universities Index.
Reflecting on the similarities among the young universities, David Swinbanks, founder of the Nature Index, said: “While there are many paths to success, many of these young universities share similar attributes. They have a strong focus on specialised areas of science and are carving out their own unique identities to attract top researchers. Through agile and creative thinking, anchored to a clear roadmap for the future, they are competing with more established counterparts, especially in recruitment and innovation. These young institutions are working toward sharply defined purposes, allowing researchers their own independence in developing and running their own labs and research, reaching their potential and keeping with the more purposeful, supported driven cultures they are striving for.”
23 of the Top 50 institutions by article share in 2020 come from China, with five of those making up the all Asian Top 10. Adding to the strong performance of Asian universities is South Korea with four institutions in the Top 50, three of which are listed in the Top 10, and India with five young universities listed amongst the Top 50 institutions. Outside of Asia, Australian universities also performed well with five young universities ranked in the Top 50. The United States, Austria and Germany all feature twice.
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Note to Editors:
The full Nature Index Young Universities supplement can be found here.
*Universities, including graduate universities, were selected as being young (50 or under) if they were founded as an independent university in 1971 or later and were not formed by the merger or re-merger and/or re-naming of a university or universities older than 50. In addition, they had to be in the leading 750 academic institutions in Nature Index in 2020 to be selected.
