The University’s global ranking for scientific influence dropped for the third consecutive year to its lowest ranking since at least 2011, according to the annual CWTS Leiden Ranking of scientific influence released this week.

GW dropped from No. 415 last year to No. 419 this year in the CWTS Leiden Ranking for scientific impact, which Leiden University in the Netherlands publishes annually after measuring the quantity and quality of research produced by over 1,400 global universities. The ranking system determines placement on the list by calculating the proportion of publications that are in the top 10 percent for most frequently cited in their designated field, according to the Leiden ranking website.

11.1 percent of GW’s publications released between 2018 and 2021 were among the top 10 percent most frequently cited in their fields, compared to 12.7 percent between 2015 and 2018. The University produced 3,805 publications between 2018 and 2021, compared to the 3,329 produced between 2015 and 2018.

2,086 of the 3,805 publications the University produced between 2018 and 2021 were in the biomedical and health sciences field, with 10.1 percent categorized as being in the top 10 percent for the field, according to the rankings.

The data shows that GW researchers published 754 in the social sciences and humanities field with 13 percent in the top 10 percent, 387 in physical sciences and engineering with 13 in the top 10 percent, 313 in mathematics and computer science with 6.3 percent in the top 10 percent and 266 in life and earth sciences with 15.9 percent in the top 10 percent.

The rankings show that the University outperformed half of its twelve peer schools — all of which dropped in ranking this year, with Georgetown University dropping from No. 609 last year to No. 634 this year and Wake Forest University dropping from No. 525 last year to No. 544 this year, according to the rankings.