Near East University Makes Its Mark on Stanford’s Top Scientists List
Near East University has reinforced its strong position in the international scientific community with a new achievement. In the latest results of the “World’s Top 2% Scientists” study, prepared by Stanford University using the Elsevier database, 24 academics from Near East University were ranked among the world’s top two percent. With this result, Near East University became the university in the TRNC with the highest number of academics on the list. Represented by 18 academics last year, the university increased this figure to 24 this year, demonstrating its growth in scientific research and publishing performance.
Evaluating the international research impact of scientists, the study is prepared in two separate categories: “career-long” and “single-year” impact. According to the latest results, 22 academics from Near East University were included in the annual scientific impact list, while 11 were featured in the career-long scientific impact list. With academics appearing in both categories, Near East University achieved a total of 33 impact recognitions.
The ranking, prepared based on citations received by researchers’ scientific publications, the impact of their work in international literature, and various bibliometric indicators, is considered one of the key references for evaluating research performance in the academic world. Near East University’s success in the latest results stands out not only for the increase in the number of ranked academics, but also for the international impact of scientific studies conducted across different disciplines.
From Near East University, Prof. Dr. K. Hüsnü Can Başer, Prof. Dr. Fadi Al-Turjman, Prof. Dr. Nadire Çavuş, Prof. Dr. Rahib Hidayat Abiyev, Prof. Dr. Aydın Hassani, Prof. Dr. Youssef Kassem, Prof. Dr. Yasir Waheed, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hijaz Ahmad, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. İlker Özşahin achieved success in both categories, appearing on both the career-long and single-year impact lists.
The career-long scientific impact list also featured Prof. Dr. İhsan Çalış and Prof. Dr. Nesrin Hasırcı, bringing Near East University’s total to 11 academics in this category.
In the single-year scientific impact list, alongside the cross-category scholars, Prof. Dr. Evren Hınçal, Prof. Dr. Kamil Dimililer, Prof. Dr. Turgut Tursoy, Prof. Dr. Boran Şekeroğlu, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yakup Yıldırım, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kamyar Hosseini, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huzaifa Umar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farman, Asst. Prof. Dr. Abraham Deka, Asst. Prof. Dr. Abraham Ayobamiji Awosusi, Asst. Prof. Dr. Humphrey Hugh Adun, Dr. Umar Saeed, Dr. Sana Ullah, and Dr. Amir Abbas were also ranked. The achievement of these academics, who contribute to the international literature through research in various fields, demonstrated the breadth of Near East University’s interdisciplinary research culture and scientific production capacity.
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprise, stated that having 24 academics from Near East University on the list prepared by Stanford University represents an important milestone in the university’s scientific development. “Having been included in this important study with 18 academics last year, having 24 of our academics listed among the world’s most influential scientists this year is a great source of pride for us,” said Prof. Dr. Günsel. “Even more importantly, the fact that our scientific achievements are spreading across a broader academic staff each year is one of the most valuable results of the research ecosystem we have built.”
Emphasizing that Near East University places scientific production at the center of its institutional culture, Prof. Dr. Günsel added, “The true strength of a university is measured by how much the knowledge it produces resonates in the world. Our goal is not merely to rise in international rankings, but to be a university that contributes to humanity’s shared body of knowledge, guides scientific developments, and transforms the knowledge it generates into societal benefit.”
Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ stated that the latest research results from Stanford University demonstrate the progress in the university’s scientific performance with concrete data. “Increasing our number of academics from 18 last year to 24 this year is extremely significant in showing the development of our research capacity,” Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said. “Having 24 of our academics among the world’s most influential scientists highlights the continuity of our research culture and the international impact of our scientific production. In particular, having 11 academics on the career-long list and 22 on the single-year impact list demonstrates the strength of both our long-standing academic expertise and our current research performance.”
Stressing that research infrastructure, international collaborations, and interdisciplinary studies play a decisive role in the sustainability of scientific success, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “We place great importance on having research conducted in different fields at our university resonate within the international scientific world. While enhancing opportunities that support the scientific productivity of our researchers, we also aim for our young academics to take a more active role in international research networks.”
