Malaysia's Top 2% Scientists 2023: Career-Long List
Malaysia has 320 scientists on the 2023 career-long Top 2% list, up 16.8% from 274 in 2022. That places Malaysia 40th in the world by number of listed scientists. Universiti Malaya has the most listed scientists (63), followed by Universiti Putra Malaysia (35).
Scientists in Malaysia on the list, by year
The career-long count has grown 96% 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 | 879 | +14.3% | 460 | +25.0% |
Top 10 institutes in Malaysia
By number of listed scientists
Show the list
- 1Universiti Malaya63
- 2Universiti Putra Malaysia35
- 3Universiti Sains Malaysia29
- 4Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia24
- 5Universiti Teknologi Malaysia16
- 6Monash University Malaysia15
- 7Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah10
- 8Sunway University8
- 9The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus7
- 10Universiti Teknologi MARA7
All 320 scientists
| Rank in Malaysia | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,344 | Universiti Malaysia Terengganu | Biotechnology | Rank 3 | |
| 2 | 3,445 |
SR
|
Sunway University | Energy | Rank 38 |
| 3 | 6,854 | Sunway University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 35 | |
| 4 | 17,902 | Nutrition Consultant | Nutrition & Dietetics | Rank 138 | |
| 5 | 19,818 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 76 | |
| 6 | 20,510 |
IA
|
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 122 |
| 7 | 21,763 |
FK
|
River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre | Chemical Engineering | Rank 85 |
| 8 | 25,642 | University of Malaya Medical Centre | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Rank 401 | |
| 9 | 29,922 |
OW
|
Xiamen University | Nanoscience & Nanotechnology | Rank 331 |
| 10 | 33,073 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Materials | Rank 406 | |
| 11 | 36,558 | School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering | Polymers | Rank 326 | |
| 12 | 37,502 | WorldFish | Marine Biology & Hydrobiology | Rank 278 | |
| 13 | 37,699 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 549 | |
| 14 | 37,756 | UCSI University | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 220 | |
| 15 | 41,913 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Rank 614 | |
| 16 | 42,434 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Business & Management | Rank 414 | |
| 17 | 45,136 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 180 | |
| 18 | 45,217 | Sunway University | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 1,985 | |
| 19 | 48,526 | Universiti Malaya | Public Health | Rank 455 | |
| 20 | 48,755 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 296 | |
| 21 | 50,647 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Economics | Rank 425 | |
| 22 | 50,969 | Monash University Malaysia | Pathology | Rank 164 | |
| 23 | 51,625 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 1,000 | |
| 24 | 51,695 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 192 | |
| 25 | 51,726 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 194 | |
| 26 | 55,625 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 1,078 | |
| 27 | 56,638 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Applied Physics | Rank 1,487 | |
| 28 | 56,891 | Universiti Malaya | Energy | Rank 674 | |
| 29 | 57,759 | UCSI University | Business & Management | Rank 584 | |
| 30 | 59,331 | Universiti Malaysia Perlis | Analytical Chemistry | Rank 398 | |
| 31 | 62,226 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 277 | |
| 32 | 62,262 | The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus | Chemical Engineering | Rank 245 | |
| 33 | 64,354 |
EL
|
Universiti Malaya | Social Psychology | Rank 551 |
| 34 | 64,900 |
AA
|
Universiti Malaya | Energy | Rank 789 |
| 35 | 66,101 |
NM
|
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur | Polymers | Rank 604 |
| 36 | 67,100 | Heriot-Watt University Malaysia | Otorhinolaryngology | Rank 145 | |
| 37 | 67,625 |
SK
|
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Energy | Rank 823 |
| 38 | 68,444 | Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business | Education | Rank 326 | |
| 39 | 71,086 | Monash University Malaysia | Business & Management | Rank 724 | |
| 40 | 72,588 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Polymers | Rank 663 | |
| 41 | 74,845 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Energy | Rank 927 | |
| 42 | 75,775 | Universiti Malaya | Chemical Engineering | Rank 312 | |
| 43 | 76,496 | International Islamic University Malaysia | Energy | Rank 950 | |
| 44 | 76,946 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Fisheries | Rank 166 | |
| 45 | 78,184 | The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus | Energy | Rank 985 | |
| 46 | 79,201 | Universiti Tenaga Nasional | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 212 | |
| 47 | 79,412 | Universiti Teknologi MARA | Energy | Rank 1,000 | |
| 48 | 79,952 | International Islamic University Malaysia | Energy | Rank 1,014 | |
| 49 | 84,832 |
TK
|
Sunway University | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 613 |
| 50 | 85,883 |
OC
|
The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus | Forestry | Rank 80 |
| 51 | 86,086 | Taylor's University Malaysia | Sport, Leisure & Tourism | Rank 115 | |
| 52 | 86,924 |
RN
|
Universiti Malaya | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 235 |
| 53 | 88,430 | Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus | Marketing | Rank 212 | |
| 54 | 90,271 | Monash University Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 440 | |
| 55 | 92,117 | WorldFish | Fisheries | Rank 212 | |
| 56 | 92,203 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Polymers | Rank 833 | |
| 57 | 92,229 | Universiti Malaya | Applied Physics | Rank 2,457 | |
| 58 | 92,717 | School of Electrical Engineering | Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Rank 254 | |
| 59 | 95,059 | The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus | Biotechnology | Rank 262 | |
| 60 | 98,477 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Energy | Rank 1,231 | |
| 61 | 98,548 | School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering | Polymers | Rank 893 | |
| 62 | 102,388 | Damai Sciences | Human Factors | Rank 176 | |
| 63 | 104,142 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Biotechnology | Rank 289 | |
| 64 | 104,267 |
OC
|
Xiamen University | Applied Physics | Rank 2,824 |
| 65 | 106,347 | Universiti Malaya | Organic Chemistry | Rank 1,928 | |
| 66 | 107,973 | UCSI University | Sport Sciences | Rank 346 | |
| 67 | 108,471 | Universiti Teknologi MARA | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 1,026 | |
| 68 | 110,048 | National Defense University of Malaysia | Strategic, Defence & Security Studies | Rank 128 | |
| 69 | 111,276 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 557 | |
| 70 | 111,310 | Monash University Malaysia | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 2,120 | |
| 71 | 112,495 | School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering | Polymers | Rank 1,015 | |
| 72 | 113,108 |
LS
|
INTI International University | Applied Physics | Rank 3,079 |
| 73 | 114,529 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Economics | Rank 945 | |
| 74 | 115,163 | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak | Tropical Medicine | Rank 240 | |
| 75 | 116,799 | Universiti Malaya | Chemical Engineering | Rank 532 | |
| 76 | 117,219 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 587 | |
| 77 | 117,849 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 539 | |
| 78 | 118,423 |
RS
|
Universiti Malaya | Energy | Rank 1,502 |
| 79 | 118,607 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 597 | |
| 80 | 119,001 | Universiti Teknologi MARA | Economics | Rank 984 | |
| 81 | 119,463 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 7,561 | |
| 82 | 120,332 | Universiti Malaya | Applied Physics | Rank 3,322 | |
| 83 | 122,286 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Civil Engineering | Rank 224 | |
| 84 | 122,387 | USM Engineering Campus | Energy | Rank 1,564 | |
| 85 | 122,769 |
RY
|
Curtin University, Malaysia | Networking & Telecommunications | Rank 1,103 |
| 86 | 122,928 | Universiti Malaya | Chemical Engineering | Rank 562 | |
| 87 | 124,518 | Monash University Malaysia | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 7,845 | |
| 88 | 125,734 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 788 | |
| 89 | 126,569 | Sunway University | Chemical Engineering | Rank 588 | |
| 90 | 128,075 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Food Science | Rank 655 | |
| 91 | 128,604 | Universiti Malaya | Economics | Rank 1,071 | |
| 92 | 128,753 | Universiti Malaya | Tropical Medicine | Rank 301 | |
| 93 | 131,412 |
YC
|
Universiti Malaya | Oncology & Carcinogenesis | Rank 5,025 |
| 94 | 132,223 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Chemical Engineering | Rank 622 | |
| 95 | 132,431 |
TC
|
Multimedia University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 925 |
| 96 | 133,404 | Asian Institute of Medicine, Science & Technology | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 1,287 | |
| 97 | 135,664 | Universiti Malaya | Environmental Engineering | Rank 653 | |
| 98 | 135,773 | Sunway University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 878 | |
| 99 | 135,990 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Operations Research | Rank 509 | |
| 100 | 137,988 |
SK
|
Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN) | Applied Physics | Rank 3,845 |
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See all 320 scientists in Malaysia
You are seeing the first 100. 220 more are on the 2023 career-long list.
Countries with a similar count
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Frequently asked questions
How many scientists from Malaysia are in the 2023 Stanford Top 2% list?
716 scientists affiliated with Malaysia are on the 2023 single-year list, and 320 are on the career-long list.
Which institute in Malaysia has the most Top 2% scientists?
On the 2023 career-long list, Universiti Malaya has the most listed scientists from Malaysia, with 63. It is followed by Universiti Putra Malaysia with 35.
How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Malaysia changed since 2020?
On the career-long list, Malaysia went from 163 scientists in 2020 to 320 in 2023, a change of +96.3%.
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.