Japan in new Nobel Prize varsity list

JAPAN is the only Asian representative in a new list of countries producing the most Nobel Prize winners this century.

It has 13 Nobel Prize winners according to brand new analysis released by Times Higher Education (THE) on Thursday on the universities with the most Nobel Prize winners this century.

Times Higher Education rankings editor Phil Baty said that many East Asian universities had benefited from generous funding and reforms, which helped them climb the World University Ranking.

But nurturing creativity, the freedom and the maverick thinking that can lead to the most groundbreaking scientific discoveries, are still a challenge.

“This list gives a snapshot of universities at the very top of their game; those attracting and nurturing the very best faculty in the world and those willing to give their academics the freedom and support to fulfil their potential.

“It is not surprising that the US dominates the list,” he said.

Baty added that for Malaysia to produce a Nobel Prize winner, a serious investment in research infrastructure designed to create the kind of environment for world-changing excellence was needed.

“This requires serious investment. You need money to provide the equipment, technology and career opportunities to nurture and retain your top talent, or to draw in leading talent from overseas,” he said.

Although Asian varsities have received financial support, THE spokesman Fran Langdon said winning a Nobel prize required universities to encourage freedom and creativity, and give their academics the space and support needed.

“The fact that Malaysia is not present in the list means that its academic culture is not nurturing homegrown talent or fostering talent from abroad,” she added.

Baty said the universities with the most Nobel Prize winners this century were from the United States. They had eight out of the 10 positions in total.

Each university had been given a score based on the number of winners affiliated with the institution at the time the award was granted.

Baty said the top 10 list was released by THE, ahead of its World Academic Summit at the University of Melbourne in September.

The top 10 list of the world’s universities with the most Nobel Prize Laureates this century is led by Stanford University in the United States, Columbia University (US), University of California, Berkeley (US), Princeton University (US), University of Chicago (US), Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US), University of California, Santa Barbara (US), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US) and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Israel both in joint eighth place and Max Planck Society in Germany.