Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2020

Belgium has 1,503 scientists on the 2020 single-year Top 2% list. That places Belgium 17th in the world by number of listed scientists. KU Leuven has the most listed scientists (296), followed by Universiteit Gent (293).

Single Year

1,503

First year listed

Career Data

1,413

First year listed

World rank by count

#17

First year listed

Institutes

131

First year listed

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

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 list2020

Show the list

1KU Leuven296
2Universiteit Gent293
3Université Catholique de Louvain116
4Universiteit Antwerpen90
5KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven83
6Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)74
7Universite de Liege61
8Vrije Universiteit Brussel59
9University Hospital of Ghent37
10Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc22

All 1,503 scientists

Single-year list2020

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	167	CP Carmeliet, Peter	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 7
2	185	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Hospital Erasme	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
3	246	Cani, Patrice D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 3
4	394	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 3
5	778	DC De Clercq, Erik	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 1
6	932	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 15
7	1,033	VW Verbeke, Wim	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 6
8	1,098	HG Hofstede, Geert	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 29
9	1,229	SA Scheen, André J.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 22
10	1,280	Van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 8
11	1,356	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	KU Leuven	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 14
12	1,529	DS De Strooper, Bart	Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 106
13	1,530	RP Rutgeerts, Paul	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 12
14	1,687	BB Blocken, Bert	KU Leuven	Building & Construction	Rank 8
15	2,010	RY Rosseel, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 39
16	2,305	FR Fagard, Robert	-	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 66
17	2,311	NS Nolan, Steven P.	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 40
18	3,037	PJ Poesen, Jean	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 11
19	3,238	VW Verstraete, Willy	Avecom NV	Biotechnology	Rank 11
20	3,297	NY Nesterov, Yurii	Université Catholique de Louvain	Operations Research	Rank 11
21	3,323	GX Gonze, Xavier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Applied Physics	Rank 88
22	3,469	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 64
23	3,500	LB Lambrecht, Bart N.	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 79
24	3,506	VC van Cutsem, Eric	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 120
25	3,592	TP Tompa, Peter	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 65
26	3,777	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 132
27	3,894	BC Bachert, Claus	University Hospital of Ghent	Allergy	Rank 5
28	3,933	RM Roberfroid, M.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 24
29	4,223	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 33
30	4,348	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Universite de Liege	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 78
31	4,379	DH De Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 82
32	4,438	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	KU Leuven	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 152
33	4,634	LM Lamkanfi, Mohamed	Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology	Immunology	Rank 112
34	4,686	LP Lancellotti, Patrizio	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 137
35	4,964	SL Simar, Léopold	Université Catholique de Louvain	Econometrics	Rank 16
36	4,988	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 92
37	5,439	VH Van Humbeeck, J.	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 94
38	5,471	BR Bouillon, Roger	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 109
39	5,593	VD Van den Berghe, Greet	Departement Cellulaire en Moleculaire Geneeskunde	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 111
40	5,654	DV De Vuyst, Luc	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Microbiology	Rank 95
41	5,726	TJ Tack, Jan	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 66
42	5,925	NB Nilius, Bernd	KU Leuven	Physiology	Rank 5
43	6,000	PM Piccart-Gebhart, Martine	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 215
44	6,029	DN Delzenne, Nathalie M.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 37
45	6,052	BC Blanpain, Cedric	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Developmental Biology	Rank 241
46	6,071	MS Muyldermans, Serge	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 110
47	6,171	BA Bogaerts, Annemie	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 136
48	6,437	LS Laureys, Steven	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 420
49	6,907	RJ Raes, Jeroen	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Microbiology	Rank 125
50	7,218	DL De Lathauwer, Lieven	KU Leuven	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 70
51	7,337	GW Glänzel, Wolfgang	KU Leuven	Science Studies	Rank 11
52	7,709	DF Danhier, Fabienne	Université Catholique de Louvain	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 40
53	7,954	GH Goossens, Herman	Universiteit Antwerpen	Microbiology	Rank 147
54	8,072	NT Notteboom, Theo	Universiteit Antwerpen	Logistics & Transportation	Rank 16
55	8,210	DJ Donnez, Jacques	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 30
56	8,325	DB De Backer, D.	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 27
57	8,356	GG Govers, Gerard	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 34
58	9,072	SJ Staessen, Jan A.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 279
59	9,415	DY Dufrêne, Yves F.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Microbiology	Rank 177
60	9,831	DB De Belie, N.	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 44
61	9,840	MP Meyfroidt, Patrick	Université Catholique de Louvain	Environmental Sciences	Rank 93
62	9,863	AM Antrop, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 24
63	9,930	AM Aalbers, Manuel B.	KU Leuven	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 25
64	10,577	MA Maas, Andrew I.R.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 650
65	10,739	DS De Schutter, Geert	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 50
66	10,827	BV Blondel, Vincent	Université Catholique de Louvain	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 128
67	11,114	CL Chibotaru, Liviu F.	KU Leuven	Applied Physics	Rank 244
68	11,149	MC Michiels, Carine	University of Namur	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 214
69	11,196	RK Rabaey, Korneel	Universiteit Gent	Environmental Sciences	Rank 110
70	11,290	ST Stützle, Thomas	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 350
71	11,295	GS Goriely, S.	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 110
72	11,335	LB Löwenberg, B.	Hôpital Citadelle	Immunology	Rank 278
73	11,413	VM Vansteenkiste, Maarten	Universiteit Gent	Social Psychology	Rank 207
74	11,449	CA Covaci, Adrian	Universiteit Antwerpen	Environmental Sciences	Rank 115
75	11,751	DP Dubois, Philippe	Université de Mons	Polymers	Rank 86
76	11,758	MR Meeusen, Romain	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Sport Sciences	Rank 42
77	11,760	HJ Harvey, Jeremy N.	KU Leuven	Chemical Physics	Rank 240
78	11,781	VS Vermeire, Severine	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 134
79	11,956	DM De Meester, Luc	KU Leuven	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	Rank 65
80	12,039	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy E.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 139
81	12,088	VJ Vandesompele, Jo	Universiteit Gent	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 438
82	12,130	AP Agostinis, P.	Departement Cellulaire en Moleculaire Geneeskunde	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 241
83	12,294	Coenye, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 245
84	12,301	MP Maquet, P.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 743
85	12,379	PF Peeters, Francois M.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 278
86	12,448	MJ Maertens, Johan	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 248
87	12,557	MC Mathieu, Chantal	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 244
88	12,619	DT Defoirdt, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 254
89	13,030	TD Thal, Dietmar R.	Departement Beeldvorming & Pathologie	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 798
90	13,150	HH Heidbuchel, Hein	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 400
91	13,305	VJ Voigt, Jens Uwe	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 406
92	13,398	VD Van den Mooter, Guy	Departement Farmaceutische en Farmacologische Wetenschappen	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 64
93	13,492	VI Vankelecom, Ivo F.J.	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 79
94	13,677	WP Willems, Patrick	KU Leuven	Environmental Engineering	Rank 74
95	13,809	NR Naeije, Robert	Free Universities of Brussels	Respiratory System	Rank 74
96	14,226	VD Van De Werf, F.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 440
97	14,368	DA D'Argembeau, Arnaud	Universite de Liege	Experimental Psychology	Rank 234
98	14,422	FO Feron, Olivier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 515
99	14,624	ID Inzé, Dirk	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 169
100	14,628	BW Boerjan, Wout	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 170
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You are seeing the first 100. 1,403 more are on the 2020 single-year list.

Ranks 101 to 1,503The whole list, not only the top 100.

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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2020

South Korea2,139 scientistsin 2020

Sweden2,132 scientistsin 2020

Denmark1,515 scientistsin 2020

Israel1,290 scientistsin 2020

Iran1,154 scientistsin 2020

Taiwan1,097 scientistsin 2020

Explore other countries

Single-year list2020

Germany8,177 scientistsin 2020

France4,502 scientistsin 2020

Netherlands3,480 scientistsin 2020

Switzerland2,622 scientistsin 2020

Austria984 scientistsin 2020

Luxembourg48 scientistsin 2020

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Belgium are in the 2020 Stanford Top 2% list?

1,503 scientists affiliated with Belgium are on the 2020 single-year list, and 1,413 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2020 single-year list, KU Leuven has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 296. It is followed by Universiteit Gent with 293.

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.