Several Moroccan scientists on the list of the world's best researchers
Four Moroccan scientists working in academia have been named among the world's top 200 researchers, according to the Academic Development Index 2025 ranking.
This recognition is a boost to Morocco's efforts to improve its development and research centres.
The ranking is based on rigorous scientometric criteria, in particular the Hirsch index (h-index), which measures the impact and scope of research work. This index also tracks the quality of scientific research in multiple disciplines.
Based on the analysis of more than 1.1 million scientific profiles worldwide, this ranking enjoys recognised credibility in the academic world. The report does not involve any human intervention in the ranking, which guarantees the transparency, rigour and impartiality of the results of a study that excludes researchers whose profiles or fields of research have not yet been validated.
- Moroccan scientists with global impact
- The six best Moroccan scientists
- Universities at the service of scientific research
Moroccan scientists with global impact
In the latest edition of the Academic Development Index (AD Index) 2025, four Moroccan researchers have managed to maintain their place in the select circle of the 200 most influential scientists worldwide.
Among these scientists is Abdesalam Hamada, professor of physics at Hassan II University in Casablanca, who ranks 40th worldwide and first nationally, with an h-index of 281 and more than 392,014 citations. The Moroccan researcher has distinguished himself through his outstanding contributions to nuclear research, as part of his work with the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) and his participation in major international projects, such as the experiments carried out at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Hamada is one of the few international researchers to have surpassed the symbolic threshold of 250 on the Hirsch index, a ranking reserved for scientists whose contributions have profoundly transformed their discipline.
The list also includes another notable Moroccan researcher: Idris Ben Shakroun, who ranks 131st worldwide and second nationally. The professor at Hassan II University - Aïn Chock in Casablanca has an h-index of 252 and 304,468 citations, with a decisive contribution to the advancement of nuclear physics and high energies.
In addition to his valuable research, Ben Shakroun also plays an important role in training young Moroccan researchers in advanced fields such as quantum computing and subatomic technologies.
Farida El Fassi and Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli are outstanding female representatives of scientific excellence.
Farida El Fassi, from Mohammed V University in Rabat, is the first Moroccan woman to enter the list of the top 200 scientists, ranking 169th. El Fassi collaborates with leading international scientific institutions on large-scale projects. Thanks to her work in high-performance computing (HPC) and big data analysis from high-energy physics experiments, she has achieved an h-index of 247 and 342,787 citations.
Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli, from the same university, ranked fourth nationally and 182nd worldwide, with an h-index of 245 and 308,707 citations, with important contributions to medical physics, especially in the application of nuclear technologies to medical diagnosis and the fight against cancer. The nuclear physics professor is considered one of the most influential female scientists in North Africa.
The six best Moroccan scientists
In addition to these four scientists, there are other Moroccan researchers who rank among the top six nationally and come from various scientific fields, including nuclear physics, electrochemistry and sustainable agriculture.
Following the four ranked as the best researchers worldwide, Belkheir Hammouti, professor and researcher in environmental chemistry at the EuroMed University in Fez, stands out in fifth place nationally in Morocco, ranked 7,370th worldwide, with an h-index of 108 and 38,855 citations. Hammouti is recognised for his pioneering research in applied electrochemistry and industrial pollution treatment, with a strong impact in the fields of climate change and water decontamination.
In sixth place for Morocco is Abdelkader Zerrouki, from Mohammed V University in Rabat, with an h-index of 90 and 24,003 citations. Noted for his work on material corrosion and theoretical electrochemistry, he has developed simulation models based on molecular dynamics and quantum chemistry to model complex interactions in industrial materials.
Seventh place in the country goes to Professor Youssef Belmabkhout from the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Ben Guerir, who obtained an h-index of 77 and 24,052 citations. His work focuses on carbon capture technologies and porous adsorbent materials as strategic axes in the energy transition and climate emergency.
Coming from Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, Rachid Salhi ranks eighth nationally, with an h-index of 76, 312 publications and more than 17,162 citations. The Moroccan researcher has made notable contributions to analytical chemistry, particularly in the study of corrosion resistance and green chemistry applications.
Mustafa Bennazoua, from UM6P, ranked ninth in the Moroccan national ranking, specialises in earth sciences and metallurgy, with an h-index of 72 and 18,171 citations. The report highlights his expertise in geometallurgy and industrial waste recycling, an essential field in Moroccan sustainable development policies.
Professor Mohammed Hafidi, from Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, closes the Moroccan top 10 with an h-index of 66 and 14,060 citations. The professor, a specialist in sustainable agriculture, focuses his research on the valorisation of organic waste into ecological fertilisers, thus contributing to more resilient and environmentally friendly agriculture.
Universities at the service of scientific research
The report highlights the pre-eminence of leading Moroccan universities, which play a crucial role in the development of scientific research in the country. Most of the researchers included in the prestigious Academic Development Index 2025 ranking come from these academic institutions.
The city of Rabat alone accounts for almost 30% of these scientists, followed by Casablanca, Fez, Ben Guerir, Agadir and Marrakech. Mohammed V University as a public institution, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) as a private institution and the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) are the leading Moroccan scientific research establishments in this global ranking.
From a disciplinary perspective, the specialities that have experienced the greatest growth are organic chemistry, energy engineering, medical physics and data science.
In this regard, the report indicates that the cumulative total of citations by ranked Moroccan researchers exceeds 2.5 million, providing unwavering proof of the significant development of scientific research in Morocco.
The scientific publications and discoveries of universities and research institutions in the North African country, in collaboration with international organisations, are reflected in their contributions to the advancement of knowledge in specific and influential fields of the international scientific scene.
Among these institutions, the following stand out: Mohammed V University in Rabat, Hassan II University in Casablanca, Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakesh, UM6P in Ben Guerir, and EuroMed University in Fez, which recently announced a partnership with Arizona State University to establish the American International Institute, a new centre for dual degree education in Morocco and the region.
Another achievement is the cooperation agreement signed in April 2024 by the University of Mohammed V (UM5) in Rabat and the Complutense University of Madrid with the aim of strengthening academic and scientific cooperation, as well as cultural exchange.