Each institution’s position in the ranking is determined by the aggregate of the D-indexes (Discipline H-index) for all qualifying scholars affiliated with that institution, provided their main publication area is Economics and Finance. Critically, the D-index accounts exclusively for publications and citation impact within the examined discipline, thus offering a focused measure of disciplinary scholarship.
Scope of Research and Inclusion Criteria
The ranking’s scope is both comprehensive and precise. A total of 279,971 scientist profiles were initially identified from diverse bibliometric sources, from which 12,210 scientists specific to Economics and Finance were analyzed. To ensure relevance and quality, a qualifying D-index threshold of 30 was set for inclusion, with a majority of each scientist’s high-impact publications required to be in Economics and Finance.
Additional criteria include:
- Incremental D-index thresholds (in steps of 10) adjusted per discipline size, ensuring inclusion of the top 1% of leading scholars.
- A maximum gap of 30% between a scientist’s general H-index and their D-index, highlighting the strength of disciplinary focus.
- Consideration of a scientist’s awards and significant achievements within Economics and Finance as further indicators of esteem and scholarly contribution.
This rigorous selection ensures the inclusion of only the most prolific and impactful scientists in the discipline on an international scale.
Verification and Validation Practices
Research.com recognizes the limitations of using raw bibliometric data as an absolute measure of scientific output. Accordingly, every scientist profile underwent meticulous manual verification and was cross-referenced with authoritative publication sources to ensure accuracy and authenticity.
While the sheer number of publications in leading journals and conference proceedings is not directly factored into ranking positions, it remains a valuable signal for evaluating a scientist’s influence within their field. Positions in the ranking are established via each researcher’s H-index, derived from datasets from OpenAlex and CrossRef, which are recognized as the preeminent bibliometric databases within the scientific community.
Complete details of the methodology, including all verification protocols and ranking criteria, are available for scrutiny on our methodology page.
Research.com Agenda and Mission
Our core mission at Research.com is to inspire scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers to engage with and map the pathways followed by top experts in every field. By providing transparent, meticulously curated rankings, we aim to empower the academic and research communities to identify leading scholars by discipline, country, and institution, and follow the frontiers of knowledge and innovation.
Key Results of the 2024 Ranking
The 2024 edition of the Best Economics and Finance Universities in the United Kingdom highlights the remarkable academic excellence present in this field. The top three UK institutions with the highest number of leading scholars in Economics and Finance are:
- London School of Economics and Political Science – 51 scientists
- University of Oxford – 39 scientists
- University of Cambridge – 24 scientists
On the global stage, the most prominent scholars in Economics and Finance are affiliated with institutions including Columbia University, University of Chicago, Harvard University, MIT, Imperial College London, Indiana University, Federal University of Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, and The Ohio State University.
Among individual achievements, Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz from Columbia University is ranked as the top scientist globally in Economics and Finance, with an impressive D-index of 191. Following him, James J. Heckman from University of Chicago holds the second position with a D-index of 181, while Andrei Shleifer from Harvard University secures the third spot with a D-index of 168.
The analysis further reveals:
- The average total D-index for the top 5% of universities is 1987, compared to an average of 234 for the total 584 institutions included in the ranking.
- Scientists affiliated with the top 5% of institutions have published, on average, 6674 articles in Economics and Finance, as opposed to an average of 903 articles across all ranked universities.
- The average number of citations for researchers at the top 1% of universities is an extraordinary 3,279,971, vastly surpassing the average of 279,971 recorded across all 584 institutions.
This ranking stands as a credible, meticulously verified resource, underscoring the significant contributions and leadership of the United Kingdom’s top academic institutions in Economics and Finance on a global stage.
