THE University of Otago has topped New Zealand’s research institutions in terms of a noted research publishing index involving the Nature Publishing Group.
Otago University took top place in terms of articles published in 68 highly selective international science journals last year, according to newly published rankings by the group.
Countries and institutions in the index are assessed on how many articles they published in top journals, and also in a more detailed measure, the weighted fractional count (WFC).
The WFC takes into account individual authors’ contributions to articles and the over-representation of some fields of science.
In terms of the WFC, Otago came in 91st in the Asia-Pacific Index and was the only New Zealand institution to make the top 100. The University of Auckland was ranked 110th.
In the index’s ‘Life Sciences’ top-50 category, Otago was the only institution in this country to be represented, at 46. Otago University was also placed 38th in the ‘Earth and Environment’ top-50 category.
University deputy vice-chancellor, research and enterprise, Prof Richard Blaikie said the ‘’pleasing results’’ reflected Otago’s ‘’continuing status as a nationally and internationally leading research institution’’.
Otago University had been recognised as New Zealand’s leading institution in this newly-developed publishing index ‘’for the second year running’’, he said.
‘’Our placing in these broad-based rankings clearly show that Otago staff are continuing to make important contributions to scientific progress across many areas,’’ he said.
The ‘Nature Index 2015: Asia-Pacific’ is produced as a supplement to the latest issue of the internationally leading journal ‘Nature’.
The publishers describe it as ‘’providing absolute counts of high-quality publication productivity at the institutional and national level, and as such is one indicator of high-quality research output across the globe’’.
Founded in 1869, the University of Otago is New Zealand’s oldest university.
It provides a research-led learning environment with a richly deserved reputation for excellence.
With over 20,000 students from around New Zealand and more than 100 countries, the university offers qualifications in Science, Health Sciences, Humanities and Commerce in Dunedin, a true university city.
The university strongly encourages students to undertake postgraduate study and has a higher proportion of PhD students than any other New Zealand university.
Otago also has health sciences campuses in Christchurch and Wellington, a centre in Auckland, and a small campus for the College of Education in Invercargill.
For more on the University of Otago go to www.otago.ac.nz.
Information on study options in New Zealand can be found at www.studyinnewzealand.com.