Belgium's Top 2% Scientists 2024

Belgium has 2,007 scientists on the 2024 single-year Top 2% list, up 3.7% from 1,935 in 2023. That places Belgium 18th in the world by number of listed scientists. KU Leuven has the most listed scientists (488), followed by Universiteit Gent (388).

Single Year

2,007

+72 (+3.7%) vs 2023

Career Data

1,997

+136 (+7.3%) vs 2023

World rank by count

#18

No change vs 2023

Institutes

146

-29 (-16.6%) vs 2023

Scientists in Belgium on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 34% 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 list2024

Show the list

1KU Leuven488
2Universiteit Gent388
3Université Catholique de Louvain155
4Universiteit Antwerpen140
5Université Libre de Bruxelles112
6Université de Liège100
7Vrije Universiteit Brussel91
8KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven61
9Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent45
10Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie38

All 2,007 scientists

Single-year list2024

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	81	SW Schaufeli, Wilmar B.	KU Leuven	Business & Management	Rank 3
2	173	VJ Vincent, Jean Louis	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 1
3	206	CP Carmeliet, Peter	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 9
4	228	Cani, Patrice D.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 3
5	526	RY Rosseel, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Social Sciences Methods	Rank 5
6	619	RP Rousseeuw, Peter J.	KU Leuven	Statistics & Probability	Rank 13
7	656	BK Binnemans, Koen	KU Leuven	Organic Chemistry	Rank 3
8	841	BM Brysbaert, Marc	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 17
9	910	Van der Bruggen, Bart	KU Leuven	Chemical Engineering	Rank 6
10	1,061	DC De Clercq, Erik	Rega Institute for Medical Research	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 4
11	1,125	SA Scheen, André	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 28
12	1,224	HG Hofstede, Geert	European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management	Business & Management	Rank 48
13	1,461	VW Verbeke, Wim	Universiteit Gent	Food Science	Rank 13
14	1,589	KJ Kruth, Jean Pierre	Flanders Make	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 11
15	2,002	DS De Strooper, Bart	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 113
16	2,454	VC Van Cutsem, Eric	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 65
17	2,457	LE Lambin, Eric F.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Ecology	Rank 69
18	2,458	NY Nesterov, Yurii	Université Catholique de Louvain	Operations Research	Rank 11
19	2,539	PJ Poesen, Jean	KU Leuven	Geography	Rank 13
20	3,290	BA Bogaerts, Annemie	Universiteit Antwerpen	Applied Physics	Rank 88
21	3,355	DM Dorigo, Marco	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 168
22	3,555	LB Lambrecht, Bart N.	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 84
23	3,612	GX Gonze, X.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Applied Physics	Rank 93
24	3,615	BR Bouillon, Roger	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 60
25	3,617	TJ Tack, Jan	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 47
26	3,823	VS Vermeire, Séverine	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 51
27	4,031	DB De Belie, Nele	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 32
28	4,155	RJ Reginster, Jean Yves	Université de Liège	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 70
29	4,172	RP Rutgeerts, Paul	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 57
30	4,200	TH Tabari, Hossein	Universiteit Antwerpen	Environmental Engineering	Rank 14
31	4,443	VP Vandenabeele, Peter	Universiteit Gent	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 82
32	4,612	DS De Schutter, Geert	Universiteit Gent	Building & Construction	Rank 35
33	4,661	LM Lamkanfi, Mohamed	Universiteit Gent	Immunology	Rank 108
34	4,740	LS Laureys, Steven	Université de Liège	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 263
35	4,845	HJ Humbeeck, Jan Van	KU Leuven	Materials	Rank 82
36	4,932	DH De Houwer, Jan	Universiteit Gent	Experimental Psychology	Rank 93
37	5,005	LP Lancellotti, Patrizio	Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 148
38	5,381	FR Fagard, R.	KU Leuven	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 159
39	5,768	AM Aalbers, Manuel B.	KU Leuven	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 13
40	5,940	RJ Raes, Jeroen	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Microbiology	Rank 100
41	6,073	Coenye, Tom	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 101
42	6,147	FR Feyereisen, René	Universiteit Gent	Entomology	Rank 7
43	6,187	HR Hoogenboom, Richard	Universiteit Gent	Polymers	Rank 35
44	6,372	VW Verstraete, W.	Universiteit Gent	Microbiology	Rank 105
45	6,424	SJ Suykens, Johan A.K.	KU Leuven	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 302
46	6,477	DJ Donnez, Jacques	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 20
47	6,496	MP Meyfroidt, Patrick	Université Catholique de Louvain	Ecology	Rank 163
48	6,921	DB De Backer, Daniel	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Emergency & Critical Care Medicine	Rank 20
49	6,972	MS Muyldermans, Serge	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 126
50	6,985	NS Nolan, Steven P.	Universiteit Gent	Organic Chemistry	Rank 94
51	7,025	VD Van den Berghe, Greet	Departement Cellulaire en Moleculaire Geneeskunde	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 129
52	7,457	MA Maas, Andrew I.R.	Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 414
53	7,474	NT Notteboom, Theo	Universiteit Gent	Logistics & Transportation	Rank 20
54	7,520	DV De Vuyst, Luc	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Microbiology	Rank 126
55	7,587	NR Naeije, Robert	Free Universities of Brussels	Respiratory System	Rank 33
56	7,632	MC Mathieu, Chantal	KU Leuven	Endocrinology & Metabolism	Rank 141
57	7,658	SR Snellings, Ruben	KU Leuven	Building & Construction	Rank 55
58	7,809	VM Vansteenkiste, Maarten	Universiteit Gent	Social Psychology	Rank 180
59	7,950	VD Van de Peer, Yves	Universiteit Gent	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 99
60	8,046	GS Goriely, S.	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 88
61	8,103	VI Vergote, Ignace	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 256
62	8,323	FK Faust, Karoline	KU Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 141
63	9,025	RM Roberfroid, M.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 290
64	9,070	KP Kuppens, Peter	KU Leuven	Social Psychology	Rank 201
65	9,221	SL Simar, Léopold	Université Catholique de Louvain	Economics	Rank 179
66	9,277	TP Tompa, Peter	Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 166
67	9,457	PM Piccart-Gebhart, Martine	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 302
68	9,476	DN Delzenne, Nathalie	Université Catholique de Louvain	Nutrition & Dietetics	Rank 60
69	9,547	MJ Maertens, Johan	KU Leuven– University Hospital Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 179
70	9,620	NB Nilius, Bernd	KU Leuven	Physiology	Rank 11
71	9,630	BH Brüssow, Harald	KU Leuven	Microbiology	Rank 181
72	9,685	VD Vancampfort, Davy	Departement Revalidatiewetenschappen	Psychiatry	Rank 218
73	9,704	BC Blanpain, Cédric	Université Libre de Bruxelles	Developmental Biology	Rank 273
74	10,224	KG Kelchtermans, Geert	KU Leuven	Education	Rank 123
75	10,246	BG Boeckxstaens, Guy	KU Leuven	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 118
76	10,400	RK Rabaey, Korneel	Universiteit Gent	Environmental Sciences	Rank 193
77	10,791	AM Arbyn, Marc	Universiteit Ghent, Faculteit Geneeskunde en Gezondheidswetenschappen	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 336
78	10,866	GH Goossens, Herman	Universiteit Antwerpen	Microbiology	Rank 213
79	11,048	GW Glänzel, Wolfgang	KU Leuven	Science Studies	Rank 17
80	11,561	VR Vanholder, Raymond	Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent	Urology & Nephrology	Rank 64
81	11,736	LP Luis, Patricia	Université Catholique de Louvain	Chemical Engineering	Rank 57
82	11,877	AP Agostinis, Patrizia	KU Leuven	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 209
83	11,879	CA Covaci, Adrian	Universiteit Antwerpen	Environmental Sciences	Rank 226
84	11,941	HH Heidbuchel, Hein	Universiteit Antwerpen	Cardiovascular System & Hematology	Rank 390
85	12,101	MR Meeusen, Romain	Vrije Universiteit Brussel	Sport Sciences	Rank 39
86	12,342	VY Vandenplas, Yvan	Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 147
87	12,344	DF Danhier, Fabienne	Université Catholique de Louvain	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 63
88	12,727	RF Raes, Filip	KU Leuven	Clinical Psychology	Rank 75
89	12,881	AW Abdel Wahab, Magd	Universiteit Gent	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 128
90	12,892	JI Janssens, Ivan A.	Universiteit Antwerpen	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 224
91	13,089	MC Michiels, Carine	Université de Namur	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 237
92	13,217	DY Dufrêne, Yves F.	Université Catholique de Louvain	Microbiology	Rank 257
93	13,336	GP Geurts, Pierre	Université de Liège	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 584
94	13,340	BA Berger, André	Université Catholique de Louvain	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 232
95	13,353	HM Hooghe, Marc	KU Leuven	Political Science & Public Administration	Rank 102
96	13,383	TD Thal, Dietmar R.	KU Leuven	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 694
97	13,615	VO van Oorschot, Wim	KU Leuven	Political Science & Public Administration	Rank 105
98	13,635	LP Lavand'homme, Patricia	Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc	Anesthesiology	Rank 36
99	13,928	DM Dolmans, Marie Madeleine	Université Catholique de Louvain	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 54
100	14,084	Salazar, Noel B.	KU Leuven	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 64
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2024

Sweden2,644 scientistsin 2024

Iran2,325 scientistsin 2024

Denmark2,013 scientistsin 2024

Saudi Arabia1,684 scientistsin 2024

Israel1,622 scientistsin 2024

Hong Kong1,535 scientistsin 2024

Explore other countries

Single-year list2024

Germany10,422 scientistsin 2024

France5,781 scientistsin 2024

Netherlands4,534 scientistsin 2024

Switzerland3,404 scientistsin 2024

Austria1,381 scientistsin 2024

Luxembourg74 scientistsin 2024

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Belgium are in the 2024 Stanford Top 2% list?

2,007 scientists affiliated with Belgium are on the 2024 single-year list, and 1,997 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2024 single-year list, KU Leuven has the most listed scientists from Belgium, with 488. It is followed by Universiteit Gent with 388.

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 2,007 in 2024, a change of +33.5%.

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.