The Relationship Between Research Funding and Citation Impact and International Collaboration of the Top 2 Percent of Iranian Scientists in the Fields of Strategic Technologies

Purpose: The primary objective of this article is to investigate the statistical re-lationship between the allocation of financial resources and the collaboration level and scientific impact of the top 2% Iranian scientists in strategic technolo-gies. In this context, the relationship between funding, citation levels, interna-tional scientific collaborations, and the quality and subject orientation of scien-tific publications has been examined.
Methodology: This study is an applied bibliometric study that also employs ci-tation analysis. The statistical population comprised 3,249 articles published in 2022 by 297 Iranian scientists ranked among the top 2% in strategic technolo-gies according to Stanford University’s 2023 list (Ioannidis et al., 2023). Data were retrieved from Scopus using advanced search queries based on author IDs (AU-ID). The extracted data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS, applying descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistical tests including in-dependent t-tests, chi-square tests, and regression analysis.
Findings: The findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between financial support and the number of citations received by the scientific publica-tions of the top 2% Iranian scientists. Overall, a strong link was observed be-tween research funding and the quality and quantity of research outputs pro-duced by these scientists in strategic technologies. The results indicate that the financial resources secured by highly cited Iranian scientists are positively asso-ciated with the growth of their citation impact. In particular, studies that re-ceived financial support were more likely to havea greater number of citations compared to those without such support, suggesting that funding is associated with higher scholarly impact. Moreover, a significant association was found be-tween financial support and the extent of international scientific collaborations. The evidence suggests that financial backing is positively associated with broader scientific networks and with improvements in the quality and quantity of international collaborations. The findings further show that funded publica-tions outnumber non-funded ones in the fields of life sciences, health and med-ical sciences, and social sciences. In the subfields of strategic technologies, the largest proportion of funded research was observed in engineering, materials science, energy, chemistry, physics, and astronomy. Additionally, financial support was found to be associated with the distribution of research outputs across journals of varying quality levels, with funded studies being published in a wider range of journals with different quality rankings. Furthermore, publica-tions that received financial support were predominantly published in Q1 jour-nals, suggesting that funding was associated with both a quantitative increase in output and a corresponding relationship with research quality. The findings also highlighted the observed association between financial support in fostering cross-border scientific collaborations, especially with countries such as China, Malaysia, and the United States. Additionally, such financial support enabled researchers to access advanced research infrastructure, attend international con-ferences, and participate in postdoctoral programs, thereby enhancing their global visibility and scholarly influence. This study also found that researchers with access to funding had a greater tendency to publish in journals based in high-ranking scientific nations such as the UK, the Netherlands, the USA, and Switzerland. The availability of financial support not only alleviated the cost barriers associated with publishing in high-impact open-access journals but also facilitated greater dissemination and visibility of Iranian scientific output at the international level. These patterns suggest that funding is associated with both strategic publishing decisions and the ability to compete in the global knowledge economy.
Conclusion: Given observed association between financial support, citation counts, international scientific collaborations, and the quality of journals pub-lishing the works of the top 2% Scientists in Iran in the field of strategic tech-nologies, policymakers must prioritize the targeted allocation of research fund-ing as a strategic objective. Strengthening financial support for academic re-searchers and research institutions can significantly enhance the effectiveness and quality of scientific output in critical areas. These findings highlight the im-portance of targeted investment in scientific research not only to amplify the individual impact of researchers but also to drive the scientific and technologi-cal advancement of the country. Therefore, policymakers and supporting insti-tutions need to design and implement more effective infrastructures and poli-cies that foster innovative research, especially in strategic fields. Expanding fi-nancial research support may contribute to improving Iran's international scien-tific standing, stimulating economic growth, fostering technological innovation, and addressing societal challenges, thereby reinforcing the central role of re-search in national development. Finally, the study underscored the importance of balanced funding strategies, suggesting that strategic investments in both high-impact projects and the broader distribution of resources among elite re-searchers can jointly enhance the overall scientific capacity of the nation. As global science becomes increasingly competitive, ensuring that the top 2 percent of Iranian scientists are equipped with sufficient and well-targeted financial re-sources will be critical to maintaining their contribution to global research. Such support is associated with advances national interests in science and technology and with strengthening Iran’s position in international academic collaborations and scientific diplomacy.