The University of Otago is celebrating two global accolades.

A documentary about the Dunedin Study has won a silver medal in the New York Festival's International Television and Film Awards.

The university study follows the lives of more than 1000 people born in Dunedin about 40 years ago.

Staff are also chuffed the institution has been ranked the top in the country for published scientific research papers.

The Nature Publishing Group ranks over 8000 institutions worldwide, putting Otago at 303rd.