The Fridtjof Nansen Institute has long been among Norway’s most publishing research institutes, topping the Norwegian Research Council’s publication ranking several years in a row from 2013-2017.

The last couple of years, the institute has remained among the ‘top performers’, though it has not been ranked number one. This year, however, the FNI has reclaimed the frontrunner position, with a publication score well above the other social science institutes.

A result of team work

'This is what happens when we all give it our darndest’, says FNI Director Iver B. Neumann, adding that the institute’s research productivity is a result of ‘a hard-working staff who work together splendidly.’

The ranking is presented in the Research Council of Norway’s annual report for the institute sector. It is based on both the number of academic publications per research institute, and the publication points corresponding to each publication. Books are valued higher than articles; publishing in prestigious journals or with acclaimed publishers is valued higher than publishing in less known journals and publishers.

Top-three institutes

In the latest ranking, which is based on the institute sector’s 2019 publications, the FNI ranks as the number one most productive institute, with a total of 3,19 publication points per researcher. This places FNI at clear first position, well ahead of the runner-up, The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) which had 2,62 points per researcher, and the Institute for Social Research with 2,42 points. The average score among all the social science institutes was 1,38.

You can learn more about the publication score ranking and read the full annual report for the social science institute sector here.