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The position of universities based on Leiden Ranking indicators: A comparative study of Iranian and global university rankings
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Maryam Hasannejad *    , Mehrdad CheshmehSohrabi |
| 1. Jundi-Shapur University of Technology, Dezful, Iran. & 2. Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran , jsulib@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: (7 Views) |
Background and aim: University ranking systems are important tools for evaluating the performance of higher education institutions. Among them, the Leiden Ranking, with its focus on indicators such as scientific impact, international collaboration, industry partnership, and open access, provides a comprehensive picture of universities’ research performance. Based on these indicators, this study compares the position of Iranian universities with leading universities of the world.
Materials and methods: This applied study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. The statistical population of this study includes all universities in the Leiden ranking system, and data analysis was performed using independent t-test in SPSS.
Findings: Analysis of the latest Leiden Ranking (2019-2022) showed that the University of Tehran had the highest research output among Iranian institutions with 15,821 publications, while the Chinese Academy of Sciences ranked first globally with 100,471 publications. The share of highly cited papers at the University of Tehran was 12.3%, whereas this figure exceeded 23% at Princeton University and MIT. Regarding international collaboration, the University of Tabriz ranked highest nationally, with 50.4%. The highest rate of industry collaboration in Iran was observed at the Jahad Daneshgahi Research Center in Tehran (3.9%), whereas Chinese petroleum universities produced over 30% of their publications in partnership with industry. Statistical results indicated that Iranian universities performed significantly lower in most indicators, particularly in industry collaboration and open access, where the national averages were notably below global levels.
Conclusion: The findings highlight a fundamental imbalance between research quantity and quality in Iran. Improving the global standing of Iranian universities requires moving beyond a purely quantitative evaluation approach and strengthening international collaboration, increasing engagement with industry, expanding open access, and enhancing the participation of women in research. |
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| Keywords: Leiden Ranking, Scientific impact, International collaboration, University–industry collaboration, Open Access, Gender diversity |
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Full-Text [PDF 1565 kb]
(3 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Orginal |
Subject:
Scientometrics
Received: 2025/07/3 | Revised: 2025/11/10 | Accepted: 2025/11/25 | ePublished: 2025/12/10
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