The Leiden Ranking ۲۰۱۶ includes ۷۲۹ top universities in life and earth sciences and they were ranked in terms of six different indicators. With a position of ۳۰۶، TMU ranked second after Tehran University.

Leiden ranking data are based on Thomson Citation Database and Reuters Web of Science (ISI), it takes a multidimensional perspective and bases its ranking on impact or collaboration indicator. This website uses core publications which includes ۷۵٪ of top ISI Journals. The quantity of science generation is assessed on ۱.۱۰ and ۵۰ percent of top citations or their impact factors.

In the ۲۰۱۶ edition of Leiden Ranking for life and earth sciences, the universities of Tehran, Tarbiat Modares, Shiraz, Ferdowsi, Isfahan and Tabriz were among the top ۵۰۰ world universities and their ranks were 84^th, 306^th, 325^th, 390^th, ۴۳۲ and 495^th respectively.

It should be noted that life and earth sciences cover a vast number of different fields of study including: Agricultural Sciences, Botany, Environment, Biology, Behavioral Sciences, Ecology, Environment Engineering, Nutrition, Fishery, Forestry, Geology, Horticulture, Microbiology, Mineralogy, Mycology, Oceanography, Zoology, Veterinary and Water Resources to name a few.