Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2026

Belgium has 2,182 scientists on the 2026 single-year Top 2% list, up 2.7% from 2,124 in 2025. That places Belgium 18th in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. Universiteit Gent has the most listed scientists (383), followed by KU Leuven (370).

Single Year

2,182

+58 (+2.7%) vs 2025

Career Data

2,294

+106 (+4.8%) vs 2025

World rank by count

#18

down 1 place vs 2025

Institutes

230

+15 (+7.0%) vs 2025

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 45% since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+18.4%

2022+5.2%

2023+3.4%

2024+3.7%

2025+5.8%

2026+2.7%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	1,503		1,413
2021	1,780	+18.4%	1,666	+17.9%
2022	1,872	+5.2%	1,769	+6.2%
2023	1,935	+3.4%	1,861	+5.2%
2024	2,007	+3.7%	1,997	+7.3%
2025	2,124	+5.8%	2,188	+9.6%
2026	2,182	+2.7%	2,294	+4.8%

Top 10 institutes in Belgium

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2026

Show the list

1Universiteit Gent383
2KU Leuven370
3UCLouvain136
4Universiteit Antwerpen115
5Université Libre de Bruxelles102
6Vrije Universiteit Brussel92
7Université de Liège90
8KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven83
9European Commission Joint Research Centre61
10Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent43

All 2,182 scientists

Single-year list2026

Showing the 2026 single-year list. Looking for career rankings? See the career-long list

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in Belgium	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	177	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
2	246	CP Carmeliet, Peter F.M.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 12
3	270	Cani, Patrice D.	UCLouvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 3
4	307	RY Rosseel, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Social Sciences Methods	Rank 2
5	432	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 11
6	601	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 12
7	619	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 3
8	822	VD van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 3
9	1,525	HG Hofstede, Geert H.	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 61
10	1,674	SJ Scheen, J. Jacques	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 42
11	1,908	BA Bogaerts, Annemie A.M.B.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 47
12	1,937	LP Lancellotti, Patrizio M.D.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 57
13	2,008	DC De Clercq, Erik D.	KU Leuven	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 9
14	2,099	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 28
15	2,289	NY Nesterov, Yu E.	UCLouvain	Operations Research	Rank 11
16	2,336	VW Verbeke, Wim A.J.	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 17
17	2,740	PP Panagos, Panos	European Commission Joint Research Centre	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 21
18	2,871	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	KU Leuven	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 30
19	3,081	VS Vermeire, Sèverine A.R.A.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 41
20	3,539	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Université de Liège	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 52
21	3,645	TH Tabari, Hossein	Universiteit Antwerpen	Environmental Engineering	Rank 15
22	3,713	SR Snellings, Ruben A.	KU Leuven	Building & Construction	Rank 28
23	3,928	GX Gonze, Xavier C.	UCLouvain	Applied Physics	Rank 89
24	4,053	DS De Schutter, Geert D.	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 30
25	4,445	LB Lambrecht, Bart Norbert	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 86
26	4,533	VC van Cutsem, Éric J.D.G.	KU Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 115
27	4,552	TJ Tack, Jan F.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 58
28	4,910	VD Van Den Berghe, G. H.a.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 83
29	5,196	MA Maas, Andrew I.R.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 252
30	5,241	DB de Belie, Nele D.	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 43
31	5,387	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 27
32	5,464	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 297
33	5,512	RP Rutgeerts, Paul J.	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 69
34	6,148	GS Goriely, Stéphane	Brussels Laboratory of the Universe - BLU-ULB	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 71
35	6,377	AM Aalbers, Manuel B.	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 33
36	6,392	MC Mathieu, Chantal	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 108
37	6,428	KP Kuppens, Peter	KU Leuven	Social Psychology	Rank 166
38	6,447	SS Sala, Serenella	European Commission Joint Research Centre	Environmental Sciences	Rank 135
39	6,491	LS Laureys, Steven T.	Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 316
40	6,573	VM Vansteenkiste, Maarten	Universiteit Gent	Social Psychology	Rank 171
41	6,585	NR Naeije, Robert	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Respiratory System	Rank 36
42	6,659	BR Bouillon, Roger A.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 113
43	6,688	FS Fendt, Sarah Maria	Leuvens Kankerinstituut	Developmental Biology	Rank 161
44	6,739	Coenye, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 100
45	6,961	DB de Backer, Daniel P.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 19
46	7,025	VJ Van-Humbeeck, Jan	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 135
47	7,230	MS Muyldermans, Serge V.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 106
48	7,231	VR Vanholder, Raymond Camille	European Kidney Health Alliance	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 43
49	7,359	FS Francque, Sven M.A.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 95
50	7,402	MP Meyfroidt, Patrick	UCLouvain	Ecology	Rank 193
51	7,975	ML Montanarella, Luca	European Commission	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 48
52	8,178	FR Feyereisen, Renè	Universiteit Gent	Entomology	Rank 10
53	8,279	VD Van de Peer, Y.	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 94
54	8,356	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	KU Leuven	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 448
55	8,362	LM Lamkanfi, Mohamed	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 159
56	8,426	KG Kelchtermans, Geert	KU Leuven	Education	Rank 138
57	8,475	DH de Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 136
58	8,510	VG Van Geem, Kevin M.	Universiteit Gent	Chemical Engineering	Rank 36
59	8,545	RJ Raes, Jeroen	Rega Institute	Microbiology	Rank 129
60	8,554	BC Blanpain, Cédric D.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Developmental Biology	Rank 226
61	8,658	VW Verstraete, Willy Henry	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 133
62	8,833	MR Meeusen, Romain R.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Sport Sciences	Rank 35
63	8,901	MJ Maertens, Johan A.	Departement Microbiologie, Immunologie en Transplantatie	Microbiology	Rank 139
64	9,007	DJ Donnez, Jacques M.D.	UCLouvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 28
65	9,126	Salazar, Noel B.	KU Leuven	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 44
66	9,383	JR Jacobs, Reinhilde	KU Leuven	Dentistry	Rank 30
67	9,392	LJ Lechien, Jérôme Rene	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Otorhinolaryngology	Rank 3
68	9,623	FK Faust, Karoline	KU Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 154
69	9,691	VC Vrints, Christiaan J.M.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 300
70	9,777	MD Miralles, Diego G.	Universiteit Gent, Hydro-Climate Extremes Lab	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 182
71	9,923	RM Roberfroid, Marcel B.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 288
72	10,123	TD Thal, Dietmar Rudolf	KU Leuven	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 500
73	10,187	NT Notteboom, Theo E.	Hogere Zeevaartschool Antwerpen	Logistics & Transportation	Rank 30
74	10,360	VY Vandenplas, Yván	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 121
75	10,362	DN Delzenne, Nathalie Maria	UCLouvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 58
76	10,481	BO Bruyère, O.	Université de Liège	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 166
77	10,516	VS Verhelst, Sebastian	Universiteit Gent	Energy	Rank 275
78	10,527	TP Tompa, Péter S.	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 156
79	10,565	LP Lavand'Homme, Patricia M.	Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc	Anesthesiology	Rank 32
80	10,747	BH Brüssow, Harald	Departement Biosystemen	Microbiology	Rank 173
81	10,799	VD Vancampfort, Davy	Leuven Brain Institute	Psychiatry	Rank 221
82	11,349	AW Abdel Wahab, Magd M.	Universiteit Gent	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 96
83	11,529	VQ Vanhellemont, Quinten	Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 121
84	11,586	HM Hooghe, Marc	KU Leuven	Political Science & Public Administration	Rank 89
85	11,953	PJ Preiser, Jean Charles E.	Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (HUB)	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 30
86	11,960	VI VERGOTE, Ignace B.P.	Leuvens Kankerinstituut	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 360
87	12,253	BA Berger, André L.	UCLouvain	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 237
88	12,505	TF Taccone, Fabio Silvio S.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 34
89	12,569	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy E.E.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 147
90	12,746	BM Berecibar, Maitane	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Energy	Rank 343
91	12,872	AS Attia, Shady G.	Université de Liège	Building & Construction	Rank 97
92	12,954	AM Arbyn, Marc	Universiteit Ghent, Faculteit Geneeskunde en Gezondheidswetenschappen	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 382
93	13,364	GH Goossens, Herman J.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Microbiology	Rank 227
94	13,395	DW De Waele, Jan J.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 37
95	13,427	NS Nolan, Steven Patrick	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 152
96	13,606	GL Goossens, Luc	KU Leuven	Developmental & Child Psychology	Rank 122
97	13,765	VC van Calster, Ben	KU Leuven	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 49
98	13,845	RF Raes, Filip	KU Leuven	Clinical Psychology	Rank 72
99	13,878	JI Janssens, Ivan A.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 260
100	14,143	GA Garg, Abhishek D.	KU Leuven	Immunology	Rank 266
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You are seeing the first 100. 2,082 more are on the 2026 single-year list.

Ranks 101 to 2,182The whole list, not only the top 100.

Every year since 2020Single Year and Career Data.

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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2026

Sweden2,728 scientists

Saudi Arabia2,686 scientists

Iran2,678 scientists

Denmark2,138 scientists

Hong Kong2,108 scientists

Turkey1,775 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2026

Germany10,938 scientists

France5,914 scientists

Netherlands4,889 scientists

Switzerland3,595 scientists

Austria1,502 scientists

Luxembourg98 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Belgium are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?

2,182 scientists affiliated with Belgium are on the 2026 single-year list, and 2,294 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Belgium has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2026 single-year list, Universiteit Gent has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 383. It is followed by KU Leuven with 370.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Belgium changed since 2020?

On the single-year list, Belgium went from 1,503 scientists in 2020 to 2,182 in 2026, a change of +45.2%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.