Clarivate releases annual G20 scorecard

Clarivate Plc has released its annual G20 scorecard, compiled by expert analysts and data scientists at the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). The annual G20 research and innovation scorecard examines the research and innovation capabilities of each G20 member through dynamic, interactive data visualisations. This year, for the first time, the report includes data for the European Union and the G20’s new permanent member, the African Union. 

The scorecard is designed for the responsible evaluation of the research and innovation capabilities of the G20 members, including new data points that illuminate collaborative impact and demonstrate the effect of research and innovation on society in the form of patent to paper citations. It also contains expanded analyses of data on the research focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), examining the collaborative and accessible nature of this research. It publishes ahead of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 18-19 and is freely available to explore on Clarivate.com. 

Emmanuel Thiveaud, Senior Vice President for Research & Analytics, Academia & Government at Clarivate said: “We promote responsible research assessment by considering comprehensive profiles and indicators that capture the broad contributions research makes to society in terms of quality and impact.  

“The G20 scorecard provides a holistic view of the global research and innovation landscape, highlighting strengths and areas needing improvement within each country and region profiled. For policymakers, governments, funders and research institutions worldwide, it offers reliable evidence to inform critical decisions about research planning and strategic investments." 

Gordon Rogers, Senior Manager, Data Science at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate, said: “The inclusion of the European and the African Union in the 2024 scorecard for the first time marks a pivotal expansion in our analysis to reflect a more comprehensive and inclusive view of global research dynamics. This broader perspective allows for a deeper understanding of the diverse and collaborative efforts needed to address global challenges and advance sustainable development goals.” 

Key findings in the 2024 G20 scorecard include: 

• The African Union (AU) shows a high collaboration rate, collaborations with Mainland China yield higher citation impact than those with the U.S., their leading partner. The AU’s SDG priorities are No Poverty (SDG 1) and Gender Equality (SDG 5). 
• The European Union is the largest contributor of papers than any other G20 member. 40% of collaboration is with external partners compared to 10% within the EU. It publishes more open access papers than the G20 average. 
• Germany has a high number of researchers per capita. It exhibits above world average Category Normalized Citation Impact (CNCI) for collaborative papers and its Normalized Patent Citation Impact* is around twice the world average in Medicine. More than 60% of papers produced in 2023 were open access. 
• India has seen international collaboration increase to just over one-third (35.6%) over the decade (2014 to 2023), the U.S. is its leading collaborator. Its SDG focus on Economic Growth (SDG 8) and Industry (SDG 9) are the most impactful. 
• Mainland China’s international collaborations are mostly bilateral (around three quarters). Its most frequent partner remains the U.S., although the percentage has halved over the decade (2014 – 2023) from 12% to 6%. Its Normalized Patent Citation Impact is above world average. 
• South Korea’s collaborations with the U.S. have fallen, while those with Mainland China and India are rising. It also shows high Normalized Patent Citation Impact in Good Health (SDG 3) and Sustainable Cities (SDG 11), at around 1.6 and 1.4 times the world average respectively. 
• United Kingdom’s research output has a high citation impact with CNCI at 1.4 times world average; Collaboration rose from below 60% in 2015 to over 70% since 2022, with leading partners in the U.S., Germany and increasingly, Mainland China. Its Normalized Patent Citation Impact is strong in Engineering and Technology, Medicine and Life Sciences.  
• United States exhibits high Normalized Patent Citation Impact in Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and Medicine. On the UN SDGs, there is a strong focus on Peace & Justice (SDG 16) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) in terms of paper output and a strong focus on Good Health (SDG 3) and Clean Energy (SDG 7) in terms of citation impact from patents.