22 September 2016

Linköping University has climbed to place 21 in a ranking of universities less than 50 years old, but has fallen in another ranking.

Photo credit: Anna NilsenThe QS World University Rankings evaluates universities worldwide less than 50 years old. This year the top six places are held by Asian universities, led by Nanyang Technological University.

It has been a rapid ascent for LiU, which entered the top 50 just four years ago.

Of the young universities in Europe, LiU is now ranked seventh.

The QS ranking is based on indicators such as academic reputation, staff/student ratio and internationalisation. This year Linköping University has scored better in staff/student ratio and proportion of international staff members.

The QS World University Rankings – which disregards the university’s age – is topped by American and British universities. Here Linköping University is number 282.

Status matters

In another recently published ranking, from Times Higher Education, LiU has dropped from the 251-300 group to the 301-350 group.

This ranking is based on parameters such as research, teaching, citations, international outlook and industry income. Considerable weight is placed on survey responses from teachers and researchers regarding the status of various universities’ research and teaching. Depending on who responds, a university can climb or fall in the ranking. Two years ago LiU was placed 360; this year it has returned to roughly the same place.

However both this year and last year, LiU has fared better when it comes to citations of scientific publications. The QS and THE rankings, together with the Shanghai (ARWU) ranking, are considered the most influential.

All in all there are roughly 20,000 universities in the world today, of which about 16,000 are younger than 50 years old.

QS World University Rankings

THE World University Rankings