Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) has once again achieved a top position in the current ‘Nature Index 2025 Research Leaders’ ranking: It is among the top 150 universities worldwide. In a national comparison, it ranks 5th and is therefore one of the strongest research universities in Germany.

The Nature Index tracks the publication output of research institutions in 145 leading journals from the natural and life sciences, taking into account not only the number of publications but also the respective institutional share of publications. This provides an even more differentiated assessment of research performance.

Top rankings in chemistry, physical sciences and biological sciences

JMU’s research strength is particularly evident in individual disciplines: In chemistry, it is ranked 4th among universities in Germany, and 9th in both physical sciences and biological sciences.

“These outstanding results once again demonstrate the international visibility and excellence of our research. At the same time, they underline JMU’s competitiveness, especially with regard to the Excellence Strategy,” emphasised University President Paul Pauli. “Our sincere thanks go to all researchers for their exceptional commitment”.