Uppsala University a perennial top university

“As a perennial top-100 university, Uppsala is among the leading half per cent of all universities in the world,” says Uppsala University Vice-Chancellor Eva Åkesson.

A good reputation has become ever more important for success in the university world. Being recognized as a university of high quality helps attract good students and researchers. This year it is the second time that the Times Higher Education (THE) has presented a ranking based solely on the reputation the universities have.

World Reputation Rankings 2012 is based on a different method than most other rankings: peer review. A total of 17,554 experienced researchers in 137 countries have declared what universities they regard as the world’s most prominent.

“Only 100 universities are listed in our prestigious World Reputation Rankings – that is around 0.5 per cent of the world’s higher education institutions. So those that feature in the list are part of an exclusive global elite of exceptionally powerful university brands,” says Phil Baty, editor of the Times Higher Education Rankings.

As usual it is Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, and Stanford that top the ranking list. But three Swedish universities are on the top 100 list of universities with the best reputations in the world. Karolinska Institutet is placed in the 51-60 bracket, Uppsala University in the 71-80 bracket, and Lund University in the 81-90 bracket.

“As a perennial top-100 university, Uppsala is among the leading half per cent of all universities in the world,” says Uppsala University Vice-Chancellor Eva Åkesson. “We have a good reputation to cherish and nourish. Uppsala University is holding its own among the competition, but we are constantly increasing our efforts internationally and prioritizing quality development.”

“It’s impressive that Sweden has three universities on the list – as many as countries like China, Canada, and Switzerland,” says Anders Malmberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University. It’s quite an achievement to maintain a place on the top 100 list in this – and other – global rankings. The competition keeps growing stiffer, not least with Asian universities doing their best to improve their positions. But it’s also gratifying that several of the universities were are developing collaboration with in Asia – like Tokyo and Peking – are now strengthening their global positions.

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