Uppsala University advances in new world ranking

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014–15 are based on 13 different indicators divided into five categories, which are given different weights:

• Teaching: the learning environment (worth 30 per cent of the overall ranking score)
• Research: volume, income and reputation (worth 30 per cent)
• Citations: research influence (worth 30 per cent)
• Industry income: innovation (worth 2.5 per cent)
• International outlook: staff, students and research (worth 7.5 per cent)

The top four universities are unchanged since last year: California Institute of Technology, Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford. In fifth place the University of Cambridge has replaced MIT.

A notable pattern is that leading Asian universities continue to climb, with 24 universities among the top 200. Japanese universities lead the group with Tokyo at the very top, in 23rd place overall. Also, universities in the Middle-East and north Africa have advanced their positions. The 200 best universities now make up a broader mix, with as many as 28 countries represented.

‘This has been a strong year for Sweden in the rankings, as it now has three top-100 universities compared to just one last year. The data shows that Sweden clearly has a strong and globally competitive system, with a total of ten institutions making the top 400

’, says Phil Baty, editor of Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The three Swedish universities among the top 100 (last years placements in parantheses):

• Karolinska Institutet in 44th place (36)
  
• Stockholm University: 98th place (103)
  
• Uppsala University: 98th place (111)
  

Times Higher Education also lists the 100 best universities in a number of scientific areas. Uppsala University holds 39th place in Life Sciences, 70th place in Clinical, Pre-clinical and Health, 92nd place in Engineering and Technology and 99th place in Physical Sciences.

‘Of course we are very happy to see that we have advanced a few positions in this ranking and that Uppsala University now is among the top 100 universities in all the three most important global rankings’, says Anders Malmberg, Uppsala University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor. ‘As always, though, it is important not to read too much into individual shifts in these rankings.’

‘Uppsala’s strength in Life Sciences is shown very clearly in this ranking. In this area we are among the top 40 universities in the world and among the top 10 in Europe.’