Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) has emerged as the clear leader in Cyprus in the field of Physical Sciences in the newly published Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders rankings, one of the world’s most respected indicators of scientific research performance. As the only academic institution from Cyprus included in this category, EMU increased its Share from 5.37 to 11.46 within a year, representing a 113.5% rise. The University also led the category with 24 high-quality research articles published during the 2025 calendar year.
Published by Springer Nature, the Nature Index evaluates not simply the number of publications but the actual research contributions made to 178 prestigious journals in the natural sciences, health sciences, applied sciences, and social sciences selected by an independent group of researchers. The rankings therefore reflect research quality rather than publication quantity. This year’s edition received extensive international media coverage, particularly for China’s third consecutive year as the overall leader and Harvard University’s loss of the top global position. Within the same rankings, EMU distinguished itself as the only academic institution representing Cyprus in the field of Physical Sciences.
The Island’s Clear Leader in Physical Sciences
The Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders rankings are based on high-quality research outputs published between 1 January and 31 December 2025. During this period, EMU not only became the only institution from Cyprus to be ranked in the field of Physical Sciences but also nearly doubled its Share compared to the previous year, recording the fastest growth in this category.
| Position | Institution | Share 2024 | Share 2025 | Count (2025) | Change in Share (2024–2025) |
| 1 | Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Cyprus | 5.37 | 11.46 | 24 | +%113,5 |
Table 1. Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders – Physical Sciences, Cyprus. EMU is the only institution included in the rankings. Share indicates the institution’s fractional contribution to published research. Source: Nature Index, 2026.
The complete rankings and verification of the results
Leading the TRNC across Scientific Disciplines
EMU’s achievement is underpinned by its strong subject leadership. In addition to leading the field of Physical Sciences, the University also ranks first on the island of Cyprus in the broader category of Natural Sciences, which encompasses Physical Sciences. Furthermore, EMU holds the top position in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) across the fields of Physical Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Health Sciences. Among the University’s most productive research areas are astronomy, quantum physics, and particle and high-energy physics.
Prestigious Journals Contributing to EMU’s Presence in the Nature Index
The majority of EMU’s contribution to the Nature Index is derived from research in the field of Physical Sciences. The University secured its position through publications in two of the discipline’s leading journals—European Physical Journal C, with 20 articles, and the Journal of High Energy Physics, with one article. EMU’s presence in the Index also extends beyond the field of physics. In Health Sciences, the University was represented by a publication on urban climate and environmental health in Cities, while in Social Sciences, it contributed to a multinational study published in Nature Human Behaviour. European Physical Journal C, the Journal of High Energy Physics, Cities, and Nature Human Behaviour are widely recognized among the most prestigious journals in their respective disciplines, making publication in each of them a notable indicator of international research quality.
The Faculties, Departments, and Academics behind EMU’s Success
The Department of Physics in EMU Faculty of Arts and Sciences serves as the driving force behind the University’s visibility in the Nature Index. Its research output in black hole physics, modified gravity, gravitational lensing, and thermodynamics has established the Department as one of the island’s most productive physics departments. Based on the Nature Index Share rankings, the academics who contributed to this achievement are Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı, Prof. Dr. S. Habib Mazharimousavi, Prof. Dr. Omar Mustafa, and Prof. Dr. Ali Övgün. This success is attributable not only to the University’s experienced academics but also to its future scientists. Erdem Sucu, a PhD student in the Department of Physics, made one of EMU’s most significant contributions in this field through his quantum gravity study (EPJC 85:989), co-authored with his supervisor, Prof. Dr. İzzet Sakallı.
The rankings also feature academics whose research has extended the University’s visibility across different faculties. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamed Rezapouraghdam from the Faculty of Tourism represented EMU through his research on urban climate and environmental health published in the journal Cities, while Prof. Dr. Şenel Hüsnü Raman from the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences represented the University in Nature Human Behaviour with a multinational study involving 13 societies. These new entries, added to the database in 2026, indicate that researchers from additional faculties are likely to contribute to the rankings in the years ahead.
In his remarks, EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç emphasized that this achievement is a tangible reflection of the University’s institutional mission and vision, which prioritize research excellence and international visibility, as well as the strong and consistent support provided to its academic staff. Prof. Dr. Kılıç stated that, in line with this vision, EMU will continue to strengthen its collaborations with national and international research institutions and further foster its interdisciplinary research culture, while continuing to enhance its institutional capacity to support high-quality scientific research. He concluded by congratulating the faculty members whose dedication contributed to this achievement.
Source: Nature Index 2026 (Springer Nature) Cyprus Research Output
