The resistible decline of European research

Using a new data set which enables us to analyze accurately research output in all academic fields, we will show how the gap in research performance between Europe, especially continental Europe, and English-speaking countries, especially the USA, is huge. We will measure research quality through the number of highly cited researchers in nineteen selected academic fields. After factoring in variables, such as par capita GDP and R&D outlays, the differences in productivity between English-speaking countries and other countries can be accounted for, unsurprisingly, not only by the importance of English proficiency, but also by the quality of institutions and good governance in the countries analyzed in the sample. In all likelihood, there is a strong correlation between good governance and the quality of research institutions.