The “World’s Top 2% Scientists Lists” compiled by Stanford University and recently published in the Elsevier Data Repository include 244 members of Aristotle University.

These lists evaluate the impact of scientists’ research work using a composite index that considers, among other factors, the number of their publications in prestigious international journals and the number of citations their work has received. This quantitative index aims to assess the researchers’ performance both throughout their entire scientific career (“career-long impact”) and within the past year (2024) (“single year impact”).

The inclusion of 244 Aristotle University members among the top 2% of scientists worldwide ranks Aristotle University first among Greek Higher Education Institutions and Research Centers. At the same time, it highlights the University’s strong research performance on an international level.

The Rector’s Authorities of Aristotle University warmly congratulate all members of the University community for this distinguished international recognition.

However, it should be noted that many important scientists do not appear in these lists, even though their research work is internationally recognized, as acknowledged by experts in the field. Moreover, the use of a composite quantitative index significantly fails to capture the richness of research output in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts.

In any case, while this specific methodology for identifying the world’s leading scientists is a relatively well-recognized practice for assessing research performance (as a quantitative measure), it cannot fully reflect the qualitative aspects of scientific work. Therefore, it should be regarded as an interesting and useful indication—but not proof—of research excellence, and it must always be considered in conjunction with other factors.