Institutional Research Density (IRD)
Institutional Research Density measures the rate at which research capacity has expanded within each university over time. It is calculated by dividing the number of authors affiliated with an institution by the number of years since the university was established. In simple terms, IRD shows how quickly a university has built a pool of research-active staff. Higher values point to faster growth in research capacity, while lower values point to slower growth. This is useful because it brings attention to staff development patterns that may not be visible from publication output alone.
Formula
IRD = Number of Authors / Age
Usefulness
- Shows growth in research-active staffing over time.
- Helps identify institutions building research capacity quickly.
- Adds a workforce-development angle to publication analysis.
Strengths
- Simple way to assess research capacity growth.
- Useful for identifying emerging institutions.
- Complements output-focused measures.
Limitations
- Does not directly measure publication output.
- A high value does not necessarily mean high research quality.
- Can favour newer institutions with rapid staff build-up.
Ranking table
| Overall Rank | Block Rank | Institution | Block | IRD(Authors/Age) | Age | Number of Authors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | University of Benin | Federal | 77.161 | 56 | 4,321 |
| 2 | 2 | University of Calabar | Federal | 74.314 | 51 | 3,790 |
| 3 | 3 | University of Port-Harcourt | Federal | 58.078 | 51 | 2,962 |
| 4 | 1 | Delta State University Abraka | State | 54.059 | 34 | 1,838 |
| 5 | 4 | University of Uyo | Federal | 53.714 | 35 | 1,880 |
| 6 | 2 | Delta University of Science and Tech. | State | 49.000 | 5 | 245 |
| 7 | 3 | Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba | State | 30.200 | 5 | 151 |
| 8 | 4 | University of Delta, Agbor | State | 28.200 | 5 | 141 |
| 9 | 5 | Rivers State University | State | 22.553 | 47 | 1,060 |
| 10 | 6 | Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island | State | 20.308 | 26 | 528 |
| 11 | 7 | Akwa Ibom State University | State | 18.875 | 16 | 302 |
| 12 | 8 | Ambrose Alli University | State | 16.133 | 45 | 726 |
| 13 | 5 | Fed. University of Petroleum Res. | Federal | 15.474 | 19 | 294 |
| 14 | 9 | University of Cross River State | State | 12.818 | 22 | 282 |
| 15 | 6 | Federal University, Otuoke | Federal | 12.133 | 15 | 182 |
| 16 | 1 | Igbinedion University Okada | Private | 9.778 | 27 | 264 |
| 17 | 10 | Ignatius Ajuru University of Education | State | 8.500 | 16 | 136 |
| 18 | 7 | Admiralty University Ibusa | Federal | 8.333 | 3 | 25 |
| 19 | 11 | Bayelsa Medical University, Yenagoa | State | 6.857 | 7 | 48 |
| 20 | 12 | Edo University Iyamho | State | 6.300 | 10 | 63 |
| 21 | 2 | Benson Idahosa University, Benin City | Private | 6.292 | 24 | 151 |
| 22 | 3 | Topfaith University, Mkpatak | Private | 4.800 | 5 | 24 |
| 23 | 4 | Wellspring University, Evbuobanosa | Private | 1.882 | 17 | 32 |
| 24 | 5 | Western Delta University, Oghara | Private | 1.789 | 19 | 34 |
Note: Ranking is based on research capacity growth measured as authors per year of institutional age. Data were extracted from the Scopus database and were accurate as of 12 pm, 9 February 2026.
Derived from the doctoral research of Valentine Joseph Owan on university research performance in South-South Nigeria, University of Calabar, 2026.