Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) topped world institutions in the Nature Index 2016 Tables released on April 20. According to Nature Index data between 2012 and 2015, CAS has stayed in the top position for four consecutive years.

Moreover, CAS’s contribution to the index saw a slight increase from the previous year. Harvard University of the United States and the French National Centre for Scientific Research took second and third places.

CAS was ranked first in three disciplines – chemistry, Earth and environmental sciences and physical sciences, and ninth in life sciences.

According to the Nature Index’s country and region rankings, China is the world’s second largest contributor to high-quality scientific research papers, second only to the US. Of the top ten countries in the index, only China showed double digit compound annual growth between 2012 and 2015.