The University of Iceland is for the fifth year running ranked among the best universities in the world according to the new Times Higher Education World University Rankings published earlier this evening.
The University of Iceland ranks between 251 to 275 on the list; a more precise ranking is not available at this time. This means that of the 17,000 universities in the world the University of Iceland is among the top 2%. The University of Iceland was on the list for the first time in 2011, on its Centennial and has since then ranked around the 270th place over the best universities in the world.
Times Higher Education has published a list of the 400 best universities in the world for over a decade. This list is one of the most prestigious of its kind. The magazine’s evaluation covers numerous operational factors in the universities, including research activity, international impact, teaching, and study environment. Research productivity is measured by the number of publications in prestigious international science journals, and the quality of the articles is measured by the number of citations. The quality and the scientific impact of the research by University staff is the decisive factor concerning the University of Iceland’s place on the list.
The University of Iceland‘s placement on the list has created multiple opportunities, both in collaboration with the world’s leading universities and institutes worldwide but also in the international competition for high class scientists and students. Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, points out that the university scores very high for international collaboration which is extremely important. “Another important factor is that this acknowledgment of the University’s operation gives its degrees more weight, thus opening more doors for our students to the most prestigious universities in the world,” says Benediktsson.
Jón Atli Benediktsson ascribes the university’s success to the relentless and ambitious work of university staff and students. “Furthermore, the university has excellent partners in Iceland enhancing its quality such as Landspitali – University Hospital, deCode, the Icelandic Heart Association, and Matís. We hope that the creation of the University of Iceland’s Science Park will further increase the number of dynamic partners,” says Benediktsson.
Benediktsson points out that competition for a place on the list is fierce and that universities in general are improving each year. This is why it is vital to realise the goals of the University of Iceland Centennial fund and the UI Science Committee that the funding of the University of Iceland be on par with comparable universities in our neighbouring countries by 2020. “We must keep up with the development in our neighbouring countries to be able to offer a competitive University,” concludes Benediktsson.
The list of Times Higher Education World University of the best universities in the world, and information on the basis for the evaluation can be found on the Times Higher Education website.