Malaysia's Top 2% Scientists 2026
Malaysia has 941 scientists on the 2026 single-year Top 2% list, up 6.9% from 880 in 2025. That places Malaysia 38th in the world by number of listed scientists. Universiti Malaya has the most listed scientists (123), followed by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (86).
Scientists in Malaysia on the list, by year
The single-year count has more than doubled since 2020.
Show the numbers
| Year | Single Year | Change | Career Data | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 387 | 163 | ||
| 2021 | 549 | +41.9% | 234 | +43.6% |
| 2022 | 622 | +13.3% | 274 | +17.1% |
| 2023 | 716 | +15.1% | 320 | +16.8% |
| 2024 | 769 | +7.4% | 368 | +15.0% |
| 2025 | 880 | +14.4% | 460 | +25.0% |
| 2026 | 941 | +6.9% | 515 | +12.0% |
Top 10 institutes in Malaysia
By number of listed scientists
Show the list
- 1Universiti Malaya123
- 2Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia86
- 3Universiti Putra Malaysia84
- 4Universiti Sains Malaysia77
- 5Universiti Teknologi Malaysia52
- 6Sunway University41
- 7Monash University Malaysia34
- 8Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah30
- 9Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS27
- 10Universiti Tenaga Nasional22
All 941 scientists
Showing the 2026 single-year list. Looking for career rankings? See the career-long list
| Rank in Malaysia | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 91 | Sunway University | Marketing | Rank 2 | |
| 2 | 576 | UCSI University | Biotechnology | Rank 2 | |
| 3 | 676 | Sunway University | Marketing | Rank 7 | |
| 4 | 731 | Sunway University | Energy | Rank 19 | |
| 5 | 2,519 | UCSI University | Business & Management | Rank 81 | |
| 6 | 2,844 | Taylor's University Malaysia | Environmental Sciences | Rank 62 | |
| 7 | 2,847 |
CM
|
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu | Biotechnology | Rank 8 |
| 8 | 2,854 | Sunway University | Business & Management | Rank 93 | |
| 9 | 3,337 | Nottingham University Business School Malaysia | Marketing | Rank 29 | |
| 10 | 3,400 | Sunway University | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 11 | |
| 11 | 3,757 | Asia School of Business (in collaboration with MIT Sloan Management) | Business & Management | Rank 118 | |
| 12 | 3,964 | Universiti Malaya | Applied Physics | Rank 90 | |
| 13 | 4,470 |
SV
|
Perdana University | Social Psychology | Rank 125 |
| 14 | 5,023 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 20 | |
| 15 | 5,362 | Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah | Business & Management | Rank 159 | |
| 16 | 5,607 | Universiti Utara Malaysia | Business & Management | Rank 166 | |
| 17 | 5,696 | Sunway University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 309 | |
| 18 | 5,789 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Materials | Rank 116 | |
| 19 | 6,041 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Business & Management | Rank 184 | |
| 20 | 6,510 | Universiti Malaysia Terengganu | Environmental Sciences | Rank 137 | |
| 21 | 6,544 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Education | Rank 104 | |
| 22 | 6,710 | Sunway University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 140 | |
| 23 | 6,905 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 59 | |
| 24 | 7,196 | Multimedia University | Energy | Rank 182 | |
| 25 | 8,411 | University of Wollongong Malaysia | Environmental Sciences | Rank 183 | |
| 26 | 8,780 | Sunway University | Energy | Rank 226 | |
| 27 | 8,930 | Universiti Teknologi MARA | Polymers | Rank 49 | |
| 28 | 9,352 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Polymers | Rank 53 | |
| 29 | 9,582 | Sunway University | Environmental Engineering | Rank 43 | |
| 30 | 10,060 | Sunway University | Marketing | Rank 67 | |
| 31 | 10,101 |
FK
|
Universiti Sains Malaysia | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 108 |
| 32 | 10,214 | Sunway University | Energy | Rank 268 | |
| 33 | 10,814 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 570 | |
| 34 | 11,184 | Taylor's University Malaysia | Business & Management | Rank 347 | |
| 35 | 11,243 | Universiti Malaya | Public Health | Rank 107 | |
| 36 | 11,459 | UCSI University | Marketing | Rank 75 | |
| 37 | 12,115 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Business & Management | Rank 369 | |
| 38 | 12,395 | Universiti Malaysia Perlis | Analytical Chemistry | Rank 49 | |
| 39 | 12,414 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Networking & Telecommunications | Rank 126 | |
| 40 | 12,623 | Universiti Malaya | Chemical Engineering | Rank 73 | |
| 41 | 13,592 |
WA
|
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS | Building & Construction | Rank 101 |
| 42 | 13,745 | Universiti Malaysia Terengganu | Energy | Rank 377 | |
| 43 | 13,872 | International Medical University | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 240 | |
| 44 | 13,944 | Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS | Energy | Rank 382 | |
| 45 | 15,294 | Universiti Malaya | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Rank 178 | |
| 46 | 15,652 | Monash University Malaysia | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 266 | |
| 47 | 16,125 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | International Relations | Rank 31 | |
| 48 | 16,133 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Nutrition & Dietetics | Rank 107 | |
| 49 | 17,550 | Sarawak General Hospital | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 284 | |
| 50 | 18,048 | Multimedia University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 392 | |
| 51 | 18,241 | UCSI University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 948 | |
| 52 | 19,799 | Universiti Islam Melaka | Polymers | Rank 135 | |
| 53 | 20,280 | USM Engineering Campus | Chemical Engineering | Rank 138 | |
| 54 | 20,595 | Sunway University | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 107 | |
| 55 | 21,286 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 147 | |
| 56 | 21,363 | Faculty of Engineering | Biotechnology | Rank 62 | |
| 57 | 21,574 | Universiti Malaya | Energy | Rank 583 | |
| 58 | 21,926 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 239 | |
| 59 | 21,932 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 296 | |
| 60 | 22,800 |
MK
|
Sunway University | Building & Construction | Rank 190 |
| 61 | 22,903 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Economics | Rank 333 | |
| 62 | 23,086 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Polymers | Rank 158 | |
| 63 | 23,224 | National Defense University of Malaysia | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 120 | |
| 64 | 23,287 | Universiti Malaysia Terengganu | Business & Management | Rank 661 | |
| 65 | 23,389 | Monash University Malaysia | Building & Construction | Rank 200 | |
| 66 | 23,485 | Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah | Energy | Rank 639 | |
| 67 | 23,770 | Multimedia University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 528 | |
| 68 | 24,032 | Universiti Malaya | Energy | Rank 655 | |
| 69 | 24,159 | Universiti Malaya | Applied Physics | Rank 445 | |
| 70 | 24,212 | Sunway University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 223 | |
| 71 | 24,437 | UCSI University | Marketing | Rank 152 | |
| 72 | 24,807 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Environmental Sciences | Rank 554 | |
| 73 | 25,325 | Taylor's University Malaysia | Environmental Sciences | Rank 566 | |
| 74 | 26,114 |
OW
|
Universiti Sains Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 175 |
| 75 | 26,155 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Energy | Rank 692 | |
| 76 | 26,208 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Economics | Rank 370 | |
| 77 | 26,707 | Sunway University | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 344 | |
| 78 | 27,441 | Monash University Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 310 | |
| 79 | 27,741 | Universiti Malaya | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 1,372 | |
| 80 | 27,972 | UCSI University | Sport Sciences | Rank 128 | |
| 81 | 28,159 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 1,387 | |
| 82 | 28,523 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Energy | Rank 764 | |
| 83 | 28,560 | Universiti Teknologi MARA | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 152 | |
| 84 | 28,739 | UCSI University | Business & Management | Rank 784 | |
| 85 | 29,082 |
SK
|
Universiti Sains Malaysia | Biotechnology | Rank 99 |
| 86 | 29,140 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 408 | |
| 87 | 29,531 | Universiti Malaya | Energy | Rank 801 | |
| 88 | 30,168 |
SN
|
Universiti Putra Malaysia | Polymers | Rank 240 |
| 89 | 30,344 | Universiti Tenaga Nasional | Building & Construction | Rank 252 | |
| 90 | 30,356 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Environmental Engineering | Rank 154 | |
| 91 | 30,450 | Asian Institute of Medicine, Science & Technology | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 157 | |
| 92 | 30,675 | Universiti Malaysia Terengganu | Energy | Rank 841 | |
| 93 | 30,682 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 352 | |
| 94 | 30,893 | Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS | Building & Construction | Rank 259 | |
| 95 | 31,160 | INTI International University | Materials | Rank 622 | |
| 96 | 31,169 | Taylor's University Malaysia | Education | Rank 446 | |
| 97 | 31,428 | Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 283 | |
| 98 | 31,723 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 452 | |
| 99 | 31,931 | WorldFish | Fisheries | Rank 56 | |
| 100 | 32,372 | Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS | Building & Construction | Rank 272 | |
| No scientists match this filter on the single-year list. Try the career-long list | |||||
See all 941 scientists in Malaysia
You are seeing the first 100. 841 more are on the 2026 single-year list.
Countries with a similar count
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Frequently asked questions
How many scientists from Malaysia are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?
941 scientists affiliated with Malaysia are on the 2026 single-year list, and 515 are on the career-long list.
Which institute in Malaysia has the most Top 2% scientists?
On the 2026 single-year list, Universiti Malaya has the most listed scientists from Malaysia, with 123. It is followed by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia with 86.
How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Malaysia changed since 2020?
On the single-year list, Malaysia went from 387 scientists in 2020 to 941 in 2026, a change of +143.2%.
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.