The University of Pretoria (UP) has had two new subjects/research fields added to the list of Essential Science Indicators (ESI): Molecular Biology and Genetics, and Pharmacology and Toxicology.

The ESI is an analytical tool that helps users identify top-performing research in the Web of Science Core Collection, a citation index for scientific and scholarly research. Inclusion on the ESI is dependent upon meeting certain citation thresholds. Only the most highly cited institutions are included on the list.

ESI surveys more than 11 000 journals from around the world to rank authors, institutions, countries and journals in 22 broad fields based on publication and citation performance. Data covers a rolling 10-year period and includes bimonthly updates to rankings and citation counts.

UP currently has 12 subjects listed:

Agricultural Sciences

Biology and Biochemistry

Molecular Biology and Genetics 

Pharmacology and Toxicology

Clinical Medicine

Economics and Business

Engineering

Environment/Ecology

Immunology

Microbiology

Plant and Animal Science

Social Sciences, General

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS) has more than six subjects on the ESI. Faculty Dean Professor Barend Erasmus said NAS’s commitment to excellence was the key to its success.

“This international recognition shows the commitment and dedication to excellence and the impact of our departments under very able departmental leadership. Genetics joins Agricultural Sciences, Biochemistry, and Plant and Animal Science, to name a few areas of expertise at UP, on the ESI. It is consistent with what we as a faculty want to achieve. Our strategy is not to chase rankings or indicators, but to do the right things exceptionally well, and then have the ranking as recognition.”