Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2025

Belgium has 2,124 scientists on the 2025 single-year Top 2% list, up 5.8% from 2,007 in 2024. That places Belgium 17th in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. KU Leuven has the most listed scientists (390), followed by Universiteit Gent (354).

Single Year

2,124

+117 (+5.8%) vs 2024

Career Data

2,188

+191 (+9.6%) vs 2024

World rank by count

#17

up 1 place vs 2024

Institutes

215

+69 (+47.3%) vs 2024

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 41% 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%

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%

Top 10 institutes in Belgium

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2025

Show the list

1KU Leuven390
2Universiteit Gent354
3Université Catholique de Louvain139
4Universiteit Antwerpen111
5Université Libre de Bruxelles98
6Vrije Universiteit Brussel90
7KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven84
8Université de Liège83
9European Commission Joint Research Centre50
10Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent44

All 2,124 scientists

Single-year list2025

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	187	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
2	214	Cani, Patrice D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 2
3	376	RY Rosseel, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Social Sciences Methods	Rank 3
4	454	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 11
5	501	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 3
6	738	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 12
7	791	VD van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 3
8	944	LH Larson, Heidi Jane	Universiteit Antwerpen	Virology	Rank 1
9	1,218	DC De Clercq, Erik D.	KU Leuven	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 4
10	1,320	HG Hofstede, Geert H.	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 50
11	1,395	SJ Scheen, J. Jacques	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 34
12	1,906	VC van Cutsem, Éric J.D.G.	KU Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 39
13	2,091	NY Nesterov, Yu E.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Operations Research	Rank 12
14	2,225	DS De Strooper, B.	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 114
15	2,383	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	KU Leuven	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 23
16	2,570	VW Verbeke, Wim A.J.	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 19
17	2,933	BA Bogaerts, Annemie A.M.B.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 77
18	2,972	DB de Belie, Nele D.	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 23
19	3,169	PP Panagos, Panos	European Commission Joint Research Centre	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 20
20	3,367	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Université de Liège	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 49
21	3,380	DS De Schutter, Geert D.	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 29
22	3,438	GX Gonze, Xavier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Applied Physics	Rank 90
23	3,727	RP Rutgeerts, Paul J.	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 50
24	3,816	TH Tabari, Hossein	KU Leuven	Environmental Engineering	Rank 16
25	3,847	LS Laureys, Steven	Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 197
26	3,945	VS Vermeire, Sèverine A.R.A.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 53
27	4,304	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 76
28	4,445	SR Snellings, Ruben A.	KU Leuven	Building & Construction	Rank 43
29	4,553	VD Van Den Berghe, G. H.a.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 70
30	4,849	LB Lambrecht, Bart Norbert	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 100
31	4,934	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 257
32	4,935	AM Aalbers, Manuel	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 22
33	5,041	BR Bouillon, Roger A.	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 81
34	5,161	TJ Tack, Jan F.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 70
35	5,735	LM Lamkanfi, Mohamed	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 123
36	5,828	KP Kuppens, Peter	KU Leuven	Social Psychology	Rank 152
37	6,006	MS Muyldermans, Serge V.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 97
38	6,161	LP Lancellotti, Patrizio M.D.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 182
39	6,178	VJ Van-Humbeeck, Jan	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 108
40	6,196	DH de Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 113
41	6,233	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 35
42	6,381	ML Montanarella, Luca	European Commission	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 40
43	6,604	MC Mathieu, Chantal	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 119
44	6,647	MA Maas, Andrew I.R.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 338
45	6,830	GS Goriely, Stéphane	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 84
46	7,014	Coenye, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 107
47	7,116	FK Faust, Karoline	Departement Microbiologie, Immunologie en Transplantatie	Microbiology	Rank 109
48	7,145	NR Naeije, Robert	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Respiratory System	Rank 28
49	7,304	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	Departement Elektrotechniek (ESAT)	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 366
50	7,323	VM Vansteenkiste, Maarten	Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences	Social Psychology	Rank 179
51	7,547	MP Meyfroidt, Patrick	Université Catholique de Louvain	Ecology	Rank 191
52	8,031	VD Van de Peer, Y.	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 91
53	8,098	FR Feyereisen, Renè	Universiteit Gent	Entomology	Rank 9
54	8,130	NS Nolan, Steven Patrick	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 103
55	8,132	RJ Raes, Jeroen	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Microbiology	Rank 129
56	8,221	DN Delzenne, Nathalie Maria	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 46
57	8,222	DB de Backer, Daniel P.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 22
58	8,440	VY Vandenplas, Yván	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 97
59	8,453	FR Fagard, Robert H.	Departement Revalidatiewetenschappen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 245
60	8,534	DV De Vuyst, Luc	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Microbiology	Rank 136
61	8,543	BC Blanpain, Cédric D.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Developmental Biology	Rank 222
62	8,932	RK Ravichandran, Kodi S.	Universiteit Gent	Developmental Biology	Rank 242
63	9,005	RM Roberfroid, Marcel B.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 255
64	9,112	BH Brüssow, Harald	Departement Biosystemen	Microbiology	Rank 145
65	9,167	FS Francque, Sven M.A.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 103
66	9,704	VR Vanholder, Raymond Camille	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 49
67	9,751	DJ Donnez, Jacques M.D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 29
68	9,766	NT Notteboom, Theo E.	Hogere Zeevaartschool Antwerpen	Logistics & Transportation	Rank 25
69	10,105	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy E.E.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 117
70	10,409	AW Abdel Wahab, Magd M.	Universiteit Gent	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 96
71	10,415	MR Meeusen, Romain R.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Sport Sciences	Rank 34
72	10,616	KG Kelchtermans, Geert	KU Leuven	Education	Rank 148
73	10,750	SS Sala, Serenella	European Commission Joint Research Centre	Environmental Sciences	Rank 236
74	11,076	VO van Oorschot, Wim J.H.	KU Leuven	Political Science & Public Administration	Rank 80
75	11,362	Salazar, Noel B.	KU Leuven	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 54
76	11,412	MJ Maertens, Johan A.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 192
77	11,458	GH Goossens, Herman J.	Faculteit Geneeskunde en Gezondheidswetenschappen	Microbiology	Rank 194
78	11,630	VS Verhelst, Sebastian	Universiteit Gent	Energy	Rank 310
79	11,807	AM Antrop, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 35
80	11,929	VG Van Geem, Kevin M.	Universiteit Gent	Chemical Engineering	Rank 60
81	12,101	VW Verstraete, Willy Henry	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 204
82	12,169	AP Agostinis, Patrizia M.	KU Leuven	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 188
83	12,176	TP Tompa, Péter S.	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 189
84	12,333	PM Piccart-Gebhart, Martine J.	Institut Jules Bordet	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 354
85	12,890	VM Van Mierlo, Joeri	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Energy	Rank 344
86	12,930	SL Simar, Léopold	Université Catholique de Louvain	Economics	Rank 220
87	12,963	HM Hooghe, Marc	KU Leuven	Political Science & Public Administration	Rank 97
88	13,189	AD Aggelis, Dimitrios G.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Building & Construction	Rank 106
89	13,213	LP Luis, Patricia	Research & Innovation Centre for Process Engineering (ReCIPE)	Chemical Engineering	Rank 72
90	13,294	DL de Lathauwer, Lieven	KU Leuven	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 136
91	13,380	JR Jacobs, Reinhilde	KU Leuven	Dentistry	Rank 40
92	13,568	TF Taccone, Fabio Silvio S.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 36
93	13,701	BM Berecibar, Maitane	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Energy	Rank 378
94	13,742	NB Nilius, Bernd	KU Leuven	Physiology	Rank 19
95	13,817	AM Arbyn, Marc	Universiteit Ghent, Faculteit Geneeskunde en Gezondheidswetenschappen	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 404
96	13,925	MD Miralles, Diego G.	Universiteit Gent, Hydro-Climate Extremes Lab	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 247
97	14,003	JI Janssens, Ivan A.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 250
98	14,087	GP Geurts, Pierre	Université de Liège	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 678
99	14,135	VJ Voigt, Jens Uwe	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 427
100	14,230	VI VERGOTE, Ignace B.P.	Leuvens Kankerinstituut	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 419
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Ranks 101 to 2,124The 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 list2025

Switzerland3,549 scientists

Sweden2,666 scientists

Iran2,534 scientists

Saudi Arabia2,110 scientists

Denmark2,061 scientists

Hong Kong1,818 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2025

Germany10,666 scientists

France5,886 scientists

Netherlands4,727 scientists

Austria1,433 scientists

Luxembourg90 scientists

United Kingdom18,125 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Belgium are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?

2,124 scientists affiliated with Belgium are on the 2025 single-year list, and 2,188 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2025 single-year list, KU Leuven has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 390. It is followed by Universiteit Gent with 354.

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 2,124 in 2025, a change of +41.3%.

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.