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Science in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe ranks #100 of 192 countries on research quality in 2022–2025 (#108 all time), with 7.2k research works and 16.6% of them in the world's top 10%.

World rank, 2022–2025
#100
of 192 · #108 all time
Works, 2022–2025
7.2k
▲ 36% vs 2013–17
Top-10% rate
16.6%
record average 16.5%
In the world top 100
0
0 in the top 1,000
Open access
52%
world 63%

What is Zimbabwe strongest at in science?

On research quality in 2022–2025, Zimbabwe ranks highest in Social Sciences (#82 of 151), Agricultural and Biological Sciences (#72 of 126) and Sociology and Political Science (#71 of 122). Relative to its size it is most specialised in Fuel Technology, Archeology and Public Administration.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorks
Social SciencesField #82 of 151 20.7%1,985 Institutions
Agricultural and Biological SciencesField #72 of 126 19.8%623 Institutions
Sociology and Political ScienceSubfield #71 of 122 21.8%725 Institutions
MedicineField #112 of 155 16.3%785 Institutions
Environmental ScienceField #92 of 125 16.2%509 Institutions
Computer ScienceField #99 of 131 18.0%336 Institutions
EducationSubfield #88 of 115 20.1%431 Institutions
EngineeringField #104 of 134 7.0%677 Institutions
Business, Management and AccountingField #93 of 113 15.3%548 Institutions
Economics, Econometrics and FinanceField #92 of 110 18.2%367 Institutions
Health ProfessionsField #91 of 108 18.1%276 Institutions
Economics and EconometricsSubfield #89 of 101 19.2%287 Institutions

Where its research is concentrated

Location quotient: how much more — or less — of each node it does than its size predicts. Drawn around 1×, where “twice the world share” and “half of it” are the same distance apart in opposite directions. A volume reading, which on a country axis is largely population and industrial structure.

  1. Fuel TechnologySubfield · 9.1 works15×
  2. ArcheologySubfield · 8.6 works7.7×
  3. Public AdministrationSubfield · 22.4 works5.7×
  4. Safety ResearchSubfield · 111.2 works5.5×
  5. Urban StudiesSubfield · 95.9 works4.8×
  6. AnthropologySubfield · 95.4 works4.7×
  7. ForestrySubfield · 34.6 works4.6×
  8. Business and International ManagementSubfield · 34.4 works4.5×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

The whole field profile

All 26 fields at once. A specialist and a generalist produce the same ranked list and a completely different shape.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 1.81× its world share, 623 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.31× its world share, 120 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 1.00× its world share, 73 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 0.19× its world share, 22 worksNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0.60× its world share, 15 worksPharmacology, Toxico…Chemical Engineering: 0.31× its world share, 8 worksChemical EngineeringChemistry: 0.31× its world share, 35 worksChemistryComputer Science: 0.60× its world share, 336 worksComputer ScienceEarth and Planetary Sciences: 0.31× its world share, 35 worksEarth and Planetary …Energy: 0.66× its world share, 44 worksEnergyEngineering: 0.62× its world share, 677 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 1.41× its world share, 509 worksEnvironmental ScienceMaterials Science: 0.48× its world share, 122 worksMaterials ScienceMathematics: 0.60× its world share, 51 worksMathematicsPhysics and Astronomy: 0.22× its world share, 35 worksPhysics and AstronomyDentistry: 0.14× its world share, 5 worksDentistryHealth Professions: 1.44× its world share, 276 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.56× its world share, 785 worksMedicineNursing: 1.66× its world share, 59 worksNursingVeterinary: 0.82× its world share, 8 worksVeterinaryArts and Humanities: 0.86× its world share, 181 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 2.35× its world share, 548 worksBusiness, Management…Decision Sciences: 1.71× its world share, 120 worksDecision SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 2.37× its world share, 367 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 0.95× its world share, 210 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 2.16× its world share, 1,985 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Economics, Econometrics and Finance, 2.4×. Every wedge is a field page.

Which keywords describe research in Zimbabwe?

By fractional works in 2022–2025, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Colonialism, Nationalism, Social Justice, Political Economy, Land Reform, Agrarian Relations, Zimbabwe and History.

▲ more of its work than of the world’s◆ about the world’s share▼ less than the world’s

Size is fractional works in 2022–2025 in the topics tagged with each word; colour is the word's share of this country's work against its share of the world's. The 40 words are chosen for being large and distinctive. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Colonialism474▲ 14×21 topics
  2. Nationalism384▲ 11×15 topics
  3. Social Justice383▲ 9.0×33 topics
  4. Sustainability370▲ 2.1×95 topics
  5. Political Economy350▲ 19×14 topics
  6. Climate Change346▲ 1.77×105 topics
  7. Land Reform331▲ 103×2 topics
  8. History328▲ 6.5×12 topics
  9. Sustainable Development306▲ 2.6×78 topics
  10. Agrarian Relations305▲ 485×1 topic
  11. Zimbabwe305▲ 485×1 topic
  12. Globalization274▲ 1.93×99 topics
  13. Social Capital212▲ 5.5×18 topics
  14. Environmental Impact195▲ 1.58×65 topics
  15. COVID-19189▲ 1.91×27 topics
  16. Mental Health177▲ 1.67×38 topics
  17. Economic Growth171▲ 2.8×30 topics
  18. Innovation158▲ 2.1×55 topics
  19. Poverty Reduction158▲ 17×6 topics
  20. Higher Education155▲ 4.0×27 topics
  21. Human Rights152▲ 2.0×43 topics
  22. Digital Transformation145▲ 3.8×22 topics
  23. Economic Development138▲ 2.3×35 topics
  24. Development127▲ 5.0×16 topics
  25. Gender Inequality120▲ 12×6 topics
  26. Social Impact116▲ 4.0×15 topics
  27. Sustainable Agriculture114▲ 4.9×14 topics
  28. Poverty Alleviation112▲ 16×2 topics
  29. Urbanization109▲ 3.6×10 topics
  30. Vulnerability108▲ 6.6×8 topics
  31. Antiretroviral Therapy106▲ 9.1×6 topics
  32. Land Tenure106▲ 35×2 topics
  33. Rural Development105▲ 4.1×15 topics
  34. Health Equity102▲ 5.2×6 topics
  35. Social Networks94▲ 4.8×9 topics
  36. Smallholder Farmers90▲ 5.6×6 topics
  37. Urban Poverty80▲ 24×2 topics
  38. Housing Policy80▲ 38×1 topic
  39. Slum Upgrading80▲ 38×1 topic
  40. Postcolonialism76▲ 8.4×10 topics

Which universities in Zimbabwe lead research?

University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology and Midlands State University rank highest in Zimbabwe on research quality in 2022–2025.

0%10%20%30%mean 16.56%fractional works (log) →share in the world top 10% →University of Zimbabwe: 1,454, 18.0%National University of Science and Technology: 1,234, 12.5%Midlands State University: 1,057, 19.6%Bindura University of Science Education: 328, 19.8%Africa University: 327, 18.0%Great Zimbabwe University: 524, 19.5%Chinhoyi University of Technology: 389, 17.4%Centre for Research and Development: 153, 9.8%Zimbabwe Open University: 287, 12.3%Harare Institute of Technology: 228, 6.9%Lupane State University: 142, 20.7%Catholic University of Zimbabwe: 62, 13.7%Biomedical Research and Training Institute: 71, 24.2%Ministry of Health and Child Welfare: 77, 23.1%Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University: 142, 12.9%Bindura University o…Midlands State Unive…University of ZimbabweNational University …
above the meannear itbelow it

One dot per institution in the list below. The upper left is the interesting corner.

  1. 1University of ZimbabweUniversity · Harare · #4,051 worldwide18.0% top 10% · 1.5k works
  2. 2National University of Science and TechnologyUniversity · Bulawayo · #4,867 worldwide12.5% top 10% · 1.2k works
  3. 3Midlands State UniversityUniversity · Gweru · #9,471 worldwide19.6% top 10% · 1.1k works
  4. 4Bindura University of Science EducationUniversity · Bindura · #9,496 worldwide19.8% top 10% · 328 works
  5. 5Africa UniversityUniversity · Mutare · #9,578 worldwide18.0% top 10% · 327 works
  6. 6Great Zimbabwe UniversityUniversity · Masvingo · #10,276 worldwide19.5% top 10% · 524 works
  7. 7Chinhoyi University of TechnologyUniversity · Chinhoyi · #10,491 worldwide17.4% top 10% · 389 works
  8. 8Centre for Research and DevelopmentNonprofit · Mutare · #15,752 worldwide9.8% top 10% · 153 works
  9. 9Zimbabwe Open UniversityUniversity · Harare · #16,201 worldwide12.3% top 10% · 287 works
  10. 10Harare Institute of TechnologyUniversity · Harare · #18,652 worldwide6.9% top 10% · 228 works
  11. 11Lupane State UniversityUniversity · Bulawayo · #18,770 worldwide20.7% top 10% · 142 works
  12. 12Catholic University of ZimbabweUniversity · Harare · #19,069 worldwide13.7% top 10% · 62 works
  13. 13Biomedical Research and Training InstituteHospital / health system · Harare · #21,184 worldwide24.2% top 10% · 71 works
  14. 14Ministry of Health and Child WelfareGovernment institution · Harare · #21,649 worldwide23.1% top 10% · 77 works
  15. 15Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti UniversityUniversity · Bindura · #22,791 worldwide12.9% top 10% · 142 works

The track on each row is its top-10% rate; the tick is the world’s rate in this record, 16.5% — teal above it, red below.

All ranked institutions in Zimbabwe

Who are the top researchers in Zimbabwe?

P. G. H. Frost, Mary T. Bassett and James Hakim rank highest among researchers based in Zimbabwe.

  1. 1 P. G. H. Frost · #71,650 worldwide 489 citations · 31 works
  2. 2 Mary T. Bassett · #144,544 worldwide 188 citations · 25 works
  3. 3 James Hakim · #147,898 worldwide 230 citations · 22 works
  4. 4 Bill Kinsey · #194,434 worldwide 104 citations · 25 works
  5. 5 Régis Chikowo · #195,907 worldwide 166 citations · 35 works
  6. 6 Sam Moyo · #244,378 worldwide 106 citations · 23 works
  7. 7 Michael Bourdillon · #299,083 worldwide 74 citations · 26 works
  8. 8 Innocent Nhapi · #328,581 worldwide 113 citations · 23 works
  9. 9 Lloyd Sachikonye · #343,070 worldwide 35 citations · 24 works
  10. 10 Angela Cheater · #346,710 worldwide 65 citations · 18 works
Top researchers in Zimbabwe

How open and international is Zimbabwe's research?

52% of its research is openly available (world: 40%), and 31% is written with international co-authors (world: 18%).

openly available51.6%not open48.4%

World: 63% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors30.8%domestic only69.2%

World: 22% is written across borders.

How has Zimbabwe's research grown?

Output in 2018–2022 was 36% higher than in 2013–2017.

1990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Research fields in Zimbabwe