The Stanford World’s Top 2% Scientists Network is a collaborative project with Elsevier that identifies and ranks the world’s most influential scientists based on standardized citation metrics derived from the Scopus database. This network provides two annual lists—one based on career-long data and one on a single recent year—to highlight both cumulative and current research impact.
In the 2025 edition of the ranking, more than 100 researchers from Serbia achieved inclusion among the top 2% globally, marking a significant milestone for Serbian research institutions and demonstrating the country’s growing presence in international research metrics.
About the List
The World’s Top 2% Scientists names the most highly cited researchers across various disciplines, recognizing the world’s leading scientists who have had a significant impact on their fields through their research and publications.
It’s created by Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University, which is a private research university recognised for its research output, innovation, and global academic influence. The university has strong connections to Silicon Valley, where many notable founders, researchers, and public figures began their careers, including Larry Page, Elon Musk, Tiger Woods, Reese Witherspoon and Sundar Pichai among many others.
What is the Selection Based on
The World’s Top 2% Scientists list is compiled using a composite bibliometric score (the “c-score”) based on citations from the Scopus database, that includes six citation metrics: total number of citations, h-index, hm-index (adjusted for co-authorship), number of citations for papers where the scientist is the sole author, number of citations for papers as the first or sole author, and number of citations for papers where the researcher is the sole, first, or last author.
The list ranks researchers across 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields based on their career-long research impact. It includes both living and deceased scientists, as their work continues to be cited. The ranking identifies scientists with significant global influence in their respective fields.
Serbian Research Landscape and Opportunities
Serbia is an active participant in the global research community which is recognised by Stanford as well, with more than 100 Serbian scientists having been named to the 2025 World’s Top 2% Scientists list representing a wide range of institutions and fields. The list recognizes researchers for their research impact, including many from the University of Belgrade and the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences.
Serbia continues to support research development, researcher mobility, and participation in the global scientific community. For researchers interested in moving to or collaborating with Serbian institutions, the EURAXESS portal offers guidance on open positions, funding and practical procedures. For students considering future research careers, Serbian universities offer a growing number of English-taught programmes, with more than 180 accredited programmes available at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Students can explore programme information through the Study in Serbia catalogue or searchable programme database.
