In Rwanda, research doesn’t sit on a shelf. It moves; into clinics, classrooms, and policy rooms. That spirit just earned fresh recognition: different scientists linked to the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) are named in the latest Stanford-Elsevier list of the world’s top 2% scientists. It’s a headline about excellence; and about how Rwanda builds science that serves people. 

The ranking is based on standardized citation metrics (the “c-score”) built from Scopus data. It spotlights both career-long and single-year impact. The 2025 update is hosted by Elsevier’s data repository and continues a methodology described by Stanford researchers in PLOS Biology. In short, it’s one of the most watched snapshots of scientific influence.  

This year’s Rwanda-affiliated honourees include UGHE’s co-founder and visionary leader, late Dr. Paul Farmer, Founding Dean of the Medical school and DVC of academic and research affairs, Prof. Abebe Bekele, Adjunct faculty of UGHE from the University of Leipzig, Prof. Torsten Schöneberg, and two senior faculty at UGHE – Dr. Alemayehu Amberbir and Dr. Chester Kalinda. Their work, which ranges from health systems and surgical education to receptor biology and public health, sends a clear message that world-class science can grow in places focused on equity. 

UGHE’s research culture explains why.  The Institute of Global Health Equity Research (IGHER) was built to close the gap between evidence and delivery. At UGHE, all academic units are actively engaged in research, with IGHER leading this work. Teams co-design studies with communities and health workers, then carry results to decision-makers. It’s participatory by design and geared to scale what works. 

Students are engaged in research from the very early days of their formation. UGHE’s MBBS-MGHD program exposes learners “early and often” to community medicine, field inquiry, and problem-solving with frontline teams. Graduates learn to ask practical questions and turn findings into action. 

“This recognition is not only about citations. It’s about proximity; doing practical research that solve community issues and health systems so results travel faster into policy and care,” said Prof. Abebe Bekele, UGHE’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Research. 

“We mentor students early, co-create studies with frontline teams, and share results with policymakers. That is how evidence becomes equity,” said Prof. Daniel Seifu, Director of IGHER. 

Rwanda helps this work move. The country invests in open data; public portals run by the National Institute of Statistics and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation make national statistics widely available. Openness makes it easier for researchers, innovators, and citizens to find, test, and use evidence. 

The health system is built the same way; on evidence. Over decades, Rwanda has documented significant gains in maternal and child health, powered by primary care, strong community health workers, and a habit of measuring and improving. Case studies from WHO and peer-reviewed analyses highlight the country as a model for evidence-based reform and resilience. 

None of this is accidental. Dr. Paul Farmer’s legacy runs through it: medicine as a form of social justice, delivered with rigor and humility. UGHE, a Partners In Health initiative, is designed to train leaders who pair science with solidarity; and to prove that excellent care and research belong everywhere. 

Why it matters 

When research is close to people, it changes lives. It shapes guidelines, improves clinic routines, and gives policymakers confidence to scale what works. Rwanda’s open data and evidence-first health system show how that can happen at speed. UGHE’s role is to keep that engine running: participatory studies, early student involvement, and clear lines from paper to policy to patient.