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University · Aberdeen · United Kingdom

Robert Gordon University

In research, Robert Gordon University stands highest in Engineering (#1,261 of 6,636 worldwide), Social Sciences (#2,092 of 10,521 worldwide) and Physical Sciences (#3,138 of 12,888 worldwide), 2022–2025. Relative to its size it is most specialised in Ocean Engineering and Automotive Engineering — Ocean Engineering is 7.0× its share of world research.

rgu.ac.ukROR OpenAlex
World rank, 2022–2025
#3,463
of 28,054 · #3,056 all time
Rank in United Kingdom
#137
of 1,094
Research works
5.6k
▲ 7% vs 2013–17
Citations
122k
21.7 per fractional work
Top-10% rate
23.5%
record average 16.5%
Open access
48%
world 28%

What is Robert Gordon University known for in research?

The fields where it stands highest, 2022–2025, ranked among every institution above the floor in each field.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorksAll time
EngineeringField #1,261 of 6,636 22.6%246 #2400
Social SciencesDomain #2,092 of 10,521 27.4%258 #645
Physical SciencesDomain #3,138 of 12,888 22.3%512 #4110
Health SciencesDomain #3,253 of 11,982 21.3%150 #2497
Social SciencesField #2,335 of 6,365 28.9%110 #347
Computer ScienceField #1,762 of 4,667 25.5%142 #2020
MedicineField #4,214 of 10,443 22.5%95 #4377

Each strip is that field’s whole ranked pool, with the notch where Robert Gordon University sits in it, in the colour of the band that rank falls in. The track under the rate is the rate itself: it carries no world mark, because the world rate differs by field (from about 6% to 21% in this record).

Which of those standings moved

The same fields on both windows: where it stood over the whole record, and where it stands in 2022–2025. The distance is the story, and it is the one thing the two rank columns above cannot show.

  1. Engineering#2,400 #1,261
  2. Social Sciences#645 #2,092
  3. Physical Sciences#4,110 #3,138
  4. Health Sciences#2,497 #3,253
  5. Social Sciences#347 #2,335
  6. Computer Science#2,020 #1,762
  7. Medicine#4,377 #4,214
all time2022–2025, better2022–2025, worse

A dot further right is a better standing. Fields it was not ranked in over the whole record are left out.

What does Robert Gordon University specialise in?

Where its research is concentrated relative to its size: Ocean Engineering takes 7.0× the share of its output that it takes of world research.

  1. Ocean EngineeringSubfield · 34.5 works7.0×
  2. Automotive EngineeringSubfield · 25.3 works5.0×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient, a volume reading rather than an impact one. It surfaces small, lopsided specialities.

Field profile

Location quotient across every field it publishes in: outside the ring is more than an institution of this size would be expected to publish, inside it is less.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 0.19× its world share, 8 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.26× its world share, 13 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 0.27× its world share, 3 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 0.41× its world share, 6 worksNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0.70× its world share, 2 worksPharmacology, Toxico…Chemical Engineering: 1.05× its world share, 4 worksChemical EngineeringChemistry: 0.19× its world share, 3 worksChemistryComputer Science: 1.92× its world share, 142 worksComputer ScienceEarth and Planetary Sciences: 0.77× its world share, 12 worksEarth and Planetary …Energy: 2.03× its world share, 18 worksEnergyEngineering: 1.73× its world share, 246 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 1.12× its world share, 53 worksEnvironmental ScienceMaterials Science: 0.92× its world share, 30 worksMaterials ScienceMathematics: 0.05× its world share, 1 worksMathematicsPhysics and Astronomy: 0.18× its world share, 4 worksPhysics and AstronomyDentistry: 0.02× its world share, 0 worksDentistryHealth Professions: 2.02× its world share, 51 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.52× its world share, 95 worksMedicineNursing: 0.77× its world share, 4 worksNursingVeterinary: 0.22× its world share, 0 worksVeterinaryArts and Humanities: 0.55× its world share, 15 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 1.58× its world share, 48 worksBusiness, Management…Decision Sciences: 2.50× its world share, 23 worksDecision SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 1.01× its world share, 20 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 1.37× its world share, 40 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 0.92× its world share, 110 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Decision Sciences, 2.5×. Every wedge is a field page.

Who are the top researchers at Robert Gordon University?

Ranked on the composite score, Alistair R. Anderson, David J. Harper and Ian Johnson lead among researchers whose main affiliation is Robert Gordon University.

  1. 1 Alistair R. Anderson United Kingdom · #18,106 worldwide 772 citations · 44 works
  2. 2 David J. Harper United Kingdom · #108,998 worldwide 307 citations · 54 works
  3. 3 Ian Johnson United Kingdom · #133,850 worldwide 99 citations · 71 works
  4. 4 John McCall United Kingdom · #176,721 worldwide 481 citations · 95 works
  5. 5 Ruth Taylor United Kingdom · #261,459 worldwide 79 citations · 19 works
  6. 6 Susan Craw United Kingdom · #275,305 worldwide 126 citations · 31 works
  7. 7 Graeme Baxter United Kingdom · #349,663 worldwide 76 citations · 32 works
  8. 8 Kay Cooper United Kingdom · #365,762 worldwide 114 citations · 25 works
  9. 9 Eyad Elyan United Kingdom · #402,160 worldwide 95 citations · 23 works
  10. 10 S.K. Salman United Kingdom · #402,664 worldwide 66 citations · 26 works
All ranked researchers at Robert Gordon University

Which keywords describe research at Robert Gordon University?

By fractional works in 2022–2025, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Lithium-ion Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Battery Management Systems and Thermal Runaway.

▲ 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 institution'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. Machine Learning74▲ 2.4×65 topics
  2. Deep Learning67▲ 2.1×66 topics
  3. Sustainability44▲ 1.90×37 topics
  4. Renewable Energy39▲ 2.8×28 topics
  5. Lithium-ion Batteries33▲ 8.2×3 topics
  6. Environmental Impact29▲ 1.82×31 topics
  7. Electric Vehicles28▲ 9.9×3 topics
  8. Neural Networks28▲ 1.88×31 topics
  9. Mental Health26▲ 1.87×29 topics
  10. Thermal Management21▲ 6.7×3 topics
  11. Energy Storage21▲ 3.3×8 topics
  12. Nanoparticles20▲ 1.71×26 topics
  13. Battery Management Systems20▲ 14×1 topic
  14. Thermal Runaway20▲ 14×1 topic
  15. Battery Technology20▲ 7.3×3 topics
  16. Supply Chain Management20▲ 2.2×16 topics
  17. Convolutional Neural Networks19▲ 2.7×14 topics
  18. Risk Management18▲ 4.0×13 topics
  19. Social Capital18▲ 3.6×13 topics
  20. Internet of Things17▲ 2.1×15 topics
  21. Cathode Materials16▲ 4.2×3 topics
  22. Rechargeable Batteries14▲ 5.6×2 topics
  23. Security14▲ 2.3×14 topics
  24. Battery Materials13▲ 7.9×1 topic
  25. Nanostructured Anodes13▲ 7.9×1 topic
  26. Classification12▲ 2.9×10 topics
  27. CO2 Sequestration12▲ 6.6×4 topics
  28. IoT Security12▲ 3.8×3 topics
  29. Primary Care12▲ 3.2×14 topics
  30. Well-being12▲ 3.1×12 topics
  31. Health Impacts11▲ 13×2 topics
  32. Life Cycle Assessment11▲ 4.1×7 topics
  33. Vibration Analysis10▲ 3.9×5 topics
  34. Respiratory Infections10▲ 8.7×2 topics
  35. Household Fuel Use10▲ 14×1 topic
  36. Indoor Air Pollution10▲ 14×1 topic
  37. Evidence-Based Practice8▲ 6.7×6 topics
  38. Behavioral Analysis8▲ 7.2×2 topics
  39. Drilling Fluids8▲ 14×1 topic
  40. Well Integrity8▲ 14×1 topic

Which research topics does Robert Gordon University publish most on?

By volume in 2022–2025: Advanced Battery Technologies Research, Advancements in Battery Materials, Energy and Environment Impacts and Drilling and Well Engineering.

Advanced Battery Technol…20Advanced Battery Technologies Research: 20 fractional worksAdvancements in Battery Materials: 13 fractional worksEnergy and Environment Impacts: 10 fractional worksDrilling and Well Engineering: 8 fractional worksElectric Vehicles and Infrastructure: 7 fractional worksFault Detection and Control Systems: 7 fractional worksEntrepreneurship Studies…6Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences: 6 fractional worksPharmaceutical Practices…6Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes: 6 fractional worksHydraulic Fracturing and…6Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Analysis: 6 fractional worksAdvanced Malware Detecti…6Advanced Malware Detection Techniques: 6 fractional works
Automotive EngineeringElectrical and Electronic EngineeringPollutionOcean Engineering5 others

Area is fractional works; colour is the subfield each topic belongs to.

  1. 1 Advanced Battery Technologies Research Automotive Engineering 20 works
  2. 2 Advancements in Battery Materials Electrical and Electronic Engineering 13 works
  3. 3 Energy and Environment Impacts Pollution 10 works
  4. 4 Drilling and Well Engineering Ocean Engineering 8 works
  5. 5 Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure Electrical and Electronic Engineering 7 works
  6. 6 Fault Detection and Control Systems Control and Systems Engineering 7 works
  7. 7 Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences Management of Technology and Innovation 6 works
  8. 8 Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes Geriatrics and Gerontology 6 works
  9. 9 Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Analysis Mechanical Engineering 6 works
  10. 10 Advanced Malware Detection Techniques Signal Processing 6 works

How open and international is its research?

Against the world’s own shares — the tick on each track. Both are shares of its output, so they sit on one scale and can be read against each other as well as against the world.

openly available48.1%not open51.9%

World: 28% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors20.7%domestic only79.3%

World: 19% is written across borders.

How has Robert Gordon University's research output changed?

Output in 2018–2022 was 7% 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.

Other research institutions in Aberdeen

All research institutions in Aberdeen

Research measures only: rankings here say nothing about teaching, admissions or student experience. Comparable institutions and collaboration partners are in the interactive view on the map.