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Clarivate Unveils the Highly Cited Researchers 2025 List

On November 12, 2025, Clarivate Plc, a major player in providing transformative intelligence, published its Highly Cited Researchers list for the year 2025, acknowledging researchers whose influential contributions have made a considerable impact in their respective fields. This annual recognition celebrates the achievements of scholars who are shaping the future of research with their innovative findings.

Overview of the 2025 Listing

The Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list features a total of 6,868 individuals who have collectively received 7,131 awards, representing over 1,300 institutions from 60 countries. Driven by a meticulous evaluation process conducted by analysts at the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) at Clarivate, the accolades highlight researchers who have demonstrated excellence through both quantitative metrics and qualitative assessment.

This year, the United States emerges as the frontrunner with 2,670 awards, which constitute about 37% of the aggregate global recognition. This reflects a steady uptick from previous years, marking a reversal of a prior downward trend. Following the U.S. is Mainland China, which secured the second position with 1,406 awards (20%), although its share of global citations has shown a slight decrease. The United Kingdom maintains its foothold in third place with 570 awards (8%).

Geographic Insights

The list provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of global research talent, revealing that 86% of the awards are concentrated in just ten countries. Remarkably, 75% of all awards are allocated to the five leading nations. While the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) takes the lead as the institution with the highest number of awards at 258, prestigious names such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology follow closely behind.

In addition to fostering awareness of top researchers, the report underscores the importance of recognizing trends across regions and institutions. For instance, while Switzerland has re-entered the top ten, Hong Kong SAR continues to gain momentum, increasing its tally of awards from 134 in 2024 to 145 this year, representing about 2% of the overall awards.

Rigorous Selection Process

In an age where the credibility of scientific literature is under heightened scrutiny, the Highly Cited Researchers program has integrated advanced checks to ensure the integrity and impact of recognized work. The 2025 evaluation process involved stringent algorithmic analysis and qualitative reviews, leading to the exclusion of 432 awards that resulted from hyper-prolific publication practices.

This year's updates allowed for the reintroduction of the Mathematics category, thus encouraging a broader representation of disciplines. As Clarivate continues to adapt its processes, the focus remains on upholding values that promote meaningful and ethical research.

Celebrating Innovation and Excellence

Bar Veinstein, President of Academia and Government at Clarivate, expressed that the achievement of recognized researchers not only enhances innovation but also inspires the global research community to creatively confront societal challenges. He emphasized the commitment to maintaining high research integrity standards and noted the increasing complexity of research environments as a catalyst for continual improvement.

The 2025 Highly Cited Researchers report is a celebration of scientific achievement and serves as a critical resource for understanding the global research landscape. With an emphasis on collaboration and innovation, Clarivate's work reflects the ongoing need for excellence in research and development across various fields.

For further details, including the complete list of Highly Cited Researchers 2025, as well as analysis and selection policies, visit Clarivate's website.

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