Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2023

Belgium has 1,935 scientists on the 2023 single-year Top 2% list, up 3.4% from 1,872 in 2022. That places Belgium 18th in the world by number of listed scientists. KU Leuven has the most listed scientists (381), followed by Universiteit Gent (374).

Single Year

1,935

+63 (+3.4%) vs 2022

Career Data

1,861

+92 (+5.2%) vs 2022

World rank by count

#18

No change vs 2022

Institutes

175

+14 (+8.7%) vs 2022

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 29% 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 list2023

Show the list

1KU Leuven381
2Universiteit Gent374
3Université Catholique de Louvain127
4Universiteit Antwerpen110
5Université de Liège90
6KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven89
7Université Libre de Bruxelles82
8Vrije Universiteit Brussel81
9Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent47
10Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc34

All 1,935 scientists

Single-year list2023

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	137	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Hôpital Erasme	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
2	162	Cani, Patrice D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 3
3	544	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 4
4	610	Van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 5
5	694	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 14
6	809	DC De Clercq, Erik	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 3
7	821	RY Rosseel, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Social Sciences Methods	Rank 7
8	959	BB Blocken, B.	KU Leuven	Building & Construction	Rank 8
9	1,018	SA Scheen, André	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 26
10	1,047	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 20
11	1,148	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	KU Leuven	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 7
12	1,236	VW Verbeke, Wim	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 11
13	1,465	HG Hofstede, Geert	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 44
14	1,822	NY Nesterov, Yurii	Université Catholique de Louvain	Operations Research	Rank 10
15	1,977	LP Lancellotti, Patrizio	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 59
16	2,246	VC Van Cutsem, Eric	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 66
17	2,981	MS Muyldermans, Serge	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 64
18	3,006	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Université de Liège	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 54
19	3,183	BC Bachert, Claus	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Allergy	Rank 5
20	3,210	LB Lambrecht, Bart N.	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 86
21	3,213	VH Van Humbeeck, Jan	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 56
22	3,368	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 69
23	3,544	FR Fagard, R.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 110
24	3,648	RP Rutgeerts, Paul	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 47
25	3,718	BR Bouillon, Roger	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 72
26	3,745	GX Gonze, Xavier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Applied Physics	Rank 93
27	3,857	DB De Belie, Nele	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 28
28	4,306	DN Delzenne, Nathalie	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 31
29	4,435	RM Roberfroid, M.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 149
30	4,749	TJ Tack, Jan	Departement Chronische Ziekten, Metabolisme en Veroudering	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 65
31	4,782	BA Bogaerts, Annemie	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 108
32	4,841	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 193
33	5,031	TP Tompa, Peter	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 109
34	5,211	VA Verbeke, Alain	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Business & Management	Rank 129
35	5,236	LM Lamkanfi, Mohamed	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 131
36	5,384	VD Van de Peer, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 69
37	5,394	VW Verstraete, Willy	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 108
38	5,463	DH De Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 97
39	5,466	NS Nolan, Steven P.	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 74
40	5,509	FR Feyereisen, René	Universiteit Gent	Entomology	Rank 6
41	5,524	LS Laureys, Steven	Université de Liège	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 330
42	5,671	TH Tabari, Hossein	Universiteit Antwerpen	Environmental Engineering	Rank 24
43	5,848	DS De Schutter, Geert	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 40
44	5,889	VS Vermeire, Severine	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 77
45	5,919	VD Van den Berghe, Greet	Departement Cellulaire en Moleculaire Geneeskunde	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 120
46	5,923	BC Blanpain, Cédric	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Developmental Biology	Rank 189
47	6,051	AM Aalbers, Manuel B.	KU Leuven	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 13
48	6,605	DB De Backer, Daniel	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 19
49	6,637	Coenye, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 136
50	7,386	MP Meyfroidt, Patrick	Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique - FNRS	Ecology	Rank 172
51	7,404	BH Brüssow, Harald	Departement Biosystemen	Microbiology	Rank 155
52	7,640	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 45
53	7,764	MC Mathieu, Chantal	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 155
54	7,821	DJ Donnez, Jacques	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 28
55	7,988	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	KU Leuven	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 316
56	8,338	VI Vergote, Ignace	Leuvens Kankerinstituut	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 298
57	8,339	SM Sun, Minglei	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 166
58	8,370	MA Maas, Andrew I.R.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 485
59	8,648	VY Vandenplas, Yvan	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 105
60	8,653	VM Vansteenkiste, Maarten	Universiteit Gent	Social Psychology	Rank 193
61	8,795	MC Michiels, Carine	Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 184
62	8,827	SL Simar, L.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Econometrics	Rank 24
63	9,037	RK Rabaey, Korneel	Universiteit Gent	Environmental Sciences	Rank 135
64	9,077	PM Piccart-Gebhart, Martine	Institut Jules Bordet	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 321
65	9,125	RJ Raes, Jeroen	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Microbiology	Rank 192
66	9,217	NT Notteboom, Theo	Universiteit Gent	Logistics & Transportation	Rank 22
67	9,320	FK Faust, Karoline	Departement Microbiologie, Immunologie en Transplantatie	Microbiology	Rank 197
68	9,323	NR Naeije, Robert	Free Universities of Brussels	Respiratory System	Rank 55
69	9,425	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 112
70	9,478	DV De Vuyst, Luc	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Microbiology	Rank 202
71	9,646	VD Vancampfort, Davy	Departement Revalidatiewetenschappen	Psychiatry	Rank 226
72	9,855	NB Nilius, Bernd	KU Leuven	Physiology	Rank 12
73	10,348	RK Ravichandran, Kodi S.	Universiteit Gent	Developmental Biology	Rank 322
74	10,583	AM Antrop, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 26
75	10,808	DF Danhier, Fabienne	Université Catholique de Louvain	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 56
76	11,030	AP Agostinis, Patrizia	KU Leuven	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 227
77	11,197	MR Meeusen, R.	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Sport Sciences	Rank 40
78	11,331	GW Glänzel, Wolfgang	KU Leuven	Science Studies	Rank 17
79	11,355	HH Heidbuchel, Hein	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 391
80	11,406	MJ Maertens, Johan	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 251
81	11,599	KP Kuppens, Peter	KU Leuven	Experimental Psychology	Rank 186
82	11,962	TD Thal, Dietmar Rudolf	Departement Beeldvorming & Pathologie	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 668
83	11,994	VO van Oorschot, Wim	KU Leuven	Political Science & Public Administration	Rank 69
84	12,073	VK Vandewal, Koen	Institute for Materials Research Hasselt University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 358
85	12,074	SR Snellings, Ruben	KU Leuven	Building & Construction	Rank 79
86	12,186	SJ Staessen, Jan A.	Departement Cardiovasculaire Wetenschappen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 414
87	12,231	RF Raes, Filip	KU Leuven	Clinical Psychology	Rank 71
88	12,410	VJ Voigt, Jens Uwe	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 423
89	12,567	DM De Meester, L.	KU Leuven	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	Rank 67
90	12,591	VJ Vansteenkiste, Johan	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 452
91	12,735	GH Goossens, Herman	Universiteit Antwerpen	Microbiology	Rank 279
92	12,873	ST Stützle, Thomas	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 492
93	12,961	GS Goriely, S.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 121
94	13,050	VM Van Mierlo, Joeri	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Energy	Rank 280
95	13,087	FO Feron, Olivier	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 469
96	13,369	JI Janssens, Ivan	Universiteit Antwerpen	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 248
97	13,576	CC Caloz, Christophe	KU Leuven	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 120
98	13,696	BG Brusselle, Guy	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Respiratory System	Rank 88
99	13,771	VR Vanholder, Raymond C.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 82
100	13,908	KG Kelchtermans, Geert	KU Leuven	Education	Rank 134
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2023

Sweden2,548 scientistsin 2023

Iran2,141 scientistsin 2023

Denmark1,958 scientistsin 2023

Israel1,617 scientistsin 2023

Hong Kong1,452 scientistsin 2023

Taiwan1,420 scientistsin 2023

Explore other countries

Single-year list2023

Germany10,088 scientistsin 2023

France5,588 scientistsin 2023

Netherlands4,291 scientistsin 2023

Switzerland3,311 scientistsin 2023

Austria1,300 scientistsin 2023

Luxembourg68 scientistsin 2023

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Belgium are in the 2023 Stanford Top 2% list?

1,935 scientists affiliated with Belgium are on the 2023 single-year list, and 1,861 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2023 single-year list, KU Leuven has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 381. It is followed by Universiteit Gent with 374.

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 1,935 in 2023, a change of +28.7%.

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.