Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2020: Career-Long List

Belgium has 1,413 scientists on the 2020 career-long Top 2% list. That places Belgium 17th in the world by number of listed scientists. KU Leuven has the most listed scientists (261), followed by Universiteit Gent (223).

Single Year

1,503

First year listed

Career Data

1,413

First year listed

World rank by count

#17

First year listed

Institutes

138

First year listed

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+17.9%

2022+6.2%

2023+5.2%

2024+7.3%

2025+9.6%

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

Career-long list2020

Show the list

1KU Leuven261
2Universiteit Gent223
3Université Catholique de Louvain113
4Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)92
5Universiteit Antwerpen81
6KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven78
7Universite de Liege67
8Vrije Universiteit Brussel52
9University Hospital of Ghent32
10Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc29

All 1,413 scientists

Career-long 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	69	CP Carmeliet, Peter	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 8
2	73	DC De Clercq, Erik	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 1
3	115	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Hospital Erasme	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
4	522	RP Rutgeerts, Paul	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 6
5	1,040	NS Nolan, Steven P.	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 34
6	1,068	FR Fagard, Robert	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 72
7	1,366	CD Collen, Desire	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 86
8	1,645	VD Van den Berghe, Greet	Departement Cellulaire en Moleculaire Geneeskunde	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 62
9	1,677	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 48
10	1,815	DS De Strooper, Bart	Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 184
11	1,990	VC van Cutsem, Eric	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 102
12	2,167	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Universite de Liege	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 85
13	2,266	NB Nilius, Bernd	KU Leuven	Physiology	Rank 5
14	2,278	VD Van De Werf, F.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 121
15	2,296	SJ Staessen, Jan A.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 122
16	2,761	BR Bouillon, Roger	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 100
17	2,907	PM Piccart-Gebhart, Martine	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 151
18	3,076	RM Roberfroid, M.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 22
19	3,545	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 77
20	3,628	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 21
21	3,754	BJ Balzarini, Jan	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 10
22	4,038	HG Hofstede, Geert	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 24
23	4,220	Cani, Patrice D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 37
24	4,621	PR Pauwels, Romain A.	University Hospital of Ghent	Respiratory System	Rank 40
25	4,759	GX Gonze, Xavier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Applied Physics	Rank 122
26	4,776	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 210
27	5,006	CG Cornelis, Guy R.	University of Namur	Microbiology	Rank 117
28	5,652	DV Desmet, Valeer J.	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 87
29	5,654	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	KU Leuven	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 106
30	5,661	LB Lambrecht, Bart N.	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 223
31	5,666	PJ Poesen, Jean	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 8
32	5,685	LB Löwenberg, B.	Hôpital Citadelle	Immunology	Rank 226
33	5,691	PF Peeters, Francois M.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 135
34	5,746	VW Verbeke, Wim	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 11
35	5,957	VW Verstraete, Willy	Avecom NV	Biotechnology	Rank 15
36	6,244	TP Tompa, Peter	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 272
37	6,319	BC Bachert, Claus	University Hospital of Ghent	Allergy	Rank 21
38	6,574	Van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 20
39	6,814	ID Inzé, Dirk	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 50
40	7,028	FW Fiers, W.	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 311
41	7,072	GH Goossens, Herman	Universiteit Antwerpen	Microbiology	Rank 177
42	7,076	SJ Schoenen, Jean	Universite de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 649
43	7,304	VB Van Broeckhoven, C.	Instituut Born-Bunge	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 677
44	7,528	MP Maquet, P.	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 696
45	7,648	LH Lijnen, H. Roger	Departement Cardiovasculaire Wetenschappen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 392
46	7,677	HJ Henquin, Jean Claude	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 245
47	7,730	DH De Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 109
48	7,735	BT Boon, Thierry	de Duve Institute	Immunology	Rank 296
49	7,827	LS Laureys, Steven	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 718
50	7,829	LN Lameire, Norbert	Universiteit Gent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 82
51	7,993	VA Vermeulen, A.	Universiteit Gent	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 254
52	8,033	FJ Fryns, J. P.	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Genetics & Heredity	Rank 28
53	8,203	VR Vanholder, Raymond	University Hospital of Ghent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 85
54	8,279	DJ Donnez, Jacques	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 38
55	8,454	VS van Steenberghe, Daniel	KU Leuven	Dentistry	Rank 29
56	8,467	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	KU Leuven	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 58
57	8,743	VS Van Steirteghem, André	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 40
58	8,795	RT Roskams, Tania	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 150
59	9,004	DP Devroey, Paul	Center for Reproductive Medicine	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 42
60	9,058	DY Dufrêne, Yves F.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Microbiology	Rank 215
61	9,113	DM Decramer, Marc	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Respiratory System	Rank 92
62	9,199	CJ Cornil, Jérôme	Université de Mons	Chemical Physics	Rank 234
63	9,613	DV De Vuyst, Luc	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Microbiology	Rank 230
64	9,712	GW Glänzel, Wolfgang	KU Leuven	Science Studies	Rank 7
65	9,763	BM Buyse, Marc	Universiteit Hasselt	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 480
66	10,423	VS Vermeire, Severine	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 173
67	10,475	CJ Charlier, Jean Christophe	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 129
68	10,634	BP Brugada, Pedro	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 529
69	10,908	TJ Thevelein, Johan M.	KU Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 256
70	11,043	VP Vandamme, Peter	Ghent University, Laboratory of Microbiology	Microbiology	Rank 258
71	11,393	BJ Body, Jean Jacques	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann, Brussels	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 549
72	11,530	DB De Backer, Guy	Universiteit Gent	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 559
73	11,584	DN Delzenne, Nathalie M.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 94
74	11,705	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 98
75	11,815	HM Henneaux, Marc	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 179
76	12,301	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 181
77	12,441	GA Goldbeter, Albert	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Evolutionary Biology	Rank 153
78	12,503	VY Vandenplas, Yvan	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 207
79	12,527	HJ Harvey, Jeremy N.	KU Leuven	Chemical Physics	Rank 305
80	12,572	DB De Backer, D.	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 42
81	12,607	CM Citron, Martin	UCB S.A.	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 1,099
82	12,760	SP Smets, Philippe	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 214
83	12,949	VI Vergote, Ignace	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 623
84	12,975	BA Bernard, Alfred	Université Catholique de Louvain	Toxicology	Rank 51
85	13,198	NR Naeije, Robert	Free Universities of Brussels	Respiratory System	Rank 128
86	13,601	DM De Moor, Bart	Universiteit Hasselt	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 86
87	13,603	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy E.	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 229
88	13,641	VJ Vansteenkiste, Johan	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 662
89	13,707	KJ Klastersky, Jean A.	Institut Jules Bordet	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 668
90	13,729	GD Glinoer, Daniel	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint Pierre, Brussels	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 394
91	14,108	VH Van Humbeeck, J.	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 156
92	14,221	BJ Balthazart, Jacques	Universite de Liege	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 1,244
93	14,280	BI Brosens, Ivo	KU Leuven	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 95
94	14,333	ED Eizirik, Decio L.	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 409
95	14,380	GG Govers, Gerard	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 24
96	14,736	BA Bogaerts, Annemie	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 331
97	14,965	GS Goriely, S.	Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 225
98	15,034	VG Van Gaal, Luc	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 436
99	15,169	VP Van Poppel, Hendrik	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 166
100	15,219	MC Mathieu, Chantal	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 442
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Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2020

Israel1,630 scientistsin 2020

Denmark1,495 scientistsin 2020

India1,491 scientistsin 2020

South Korea1,350 scientistsin 2020

Taiwan1,151 scientistsin 2020

Finland1,037 scientistsin 2020

Explore other countries

Career-long list2020

Germany8,792 scientistsin 2020

France5,048 scientistsin 2020

Netherlands3,350 scientistsin 2020

Switzerland2,546 scientistsin 2020

Austria962 scientistsin 2020

Luxembourg34 scientistsin 2020

All countries on the world map

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 career-long list, KU Leuven has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 261. It is followed by Universiteit Gent with 223.

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.