Nature Index

Nature Research compiles a database of information from an independently selected group of 82 high-quality science journals in order to rank institutions (companies, universities, government research institutes and NGOs) in terms of their scientific output. First published in 2016, the Nature Index serves as an indicator of research excellence and institutional performance, drawing on information from a 12-month rolling window of data.

In the most recent index, the aggregate data of the institutes that constitute BIST (the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology) holds the second overall national position, only behind CSIC which aggregates data for 49 institutes in all areas of science. ICFO is one of 7 CERCA institutes that form BIST (the other members are CRG, IBEC, ICIQ, ICN2, IFAE and IRBB), and contributes 36 % of its total share.

Nature Index, while offering only a view about the quality of an institution’s outcome in terms of high-impact publications, is widely perceived as a good indicator of scientific excellence. At ICFO, it illustrates the career-boosting opportunities available to young PhD students and researchers, which remains the institution’s top mission.