American universities have again outranked more than 1,250 other higher education institutions around the world in the annual Shanghai Jiao Tong listing of the global top 500 universities. And for the 12th year running, Harvard was placed number one. The global Academic Ranking of World Universities <http://www.shanghairanking.com/>, or ARWU, was released on Friday with the usual long list of United States universities taking 16 places in the top 20, 52 in the top 100 and 146 in the top 500.

Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, Princeton, Caltech, Columbia and Chicago – in that order – were in the top 10 while American institutions also occupied the top five places in four of the five broad subject fields where Shanghai ranks the top 200 universities. Britain came second with three of its universities in the top 20 – Cambridge at number five, Oxford at number nine and University College London at 20.

The UK also had eight universities in the top 100 and 20 in the top 200 with a total of 38 at the 500 point. That was one behind Germany, which had 39 universities in total in the top 500 but none in the top 20. France and Italy each had 21 universities in the top 500, as did Canada, and they were followed by Australia and Japan with 19 each. Switzerland’s science and engineering university, ETH Zurich, joined the elite top 20 group for the first time, in the 19th spot, placing the university first among European institutions.

ETH was followed by France’s Pierre and Marie Curie University at number 35, while the University of Copenhagen, in 39th position, overtook Paris-Sud as the third top university in Europe.

The Swiss-based École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne or EPFL made its first appearance in the top 100, increasing Switzerland’s representation to five – the third highest of all countries in the ranking but with seven in total. China, with 44 universities ranked in the top 500, continues to make rapid advances up the table even though its institutions only managed to get as far as having nine in the top 200. Even with 44, though, China still had 102 fewer of its institutions placed in the rankings than the US. Elsewhere in Asia, the University of Tokyo at 21 and Kyoto University at 26 topped all others in Asia while the University of Melbourne in 44th position became the highest ranked university in Australasia in the history of the ARWU.

Overall, 16 countries had at least one university in the top 100 while 42 nations were represented in the top 500, with nine managing to have one listed and six having two. This year, 25 universities broke into the top 500, including Deakin University in Melbourne plus another nine that also made their first appearance. South Africa and Egypt were the only countries on the African continent to be represented in the top 500: South Africa with the universities of Cape Town, the Witwatersrand, KwaZulu-Natal and Stellenbosch, and Egypt with the University of Cairo.

The ranking The Center for World-Class Universities at Shanghai Jiao Tong first launched the precursor of the now too-numerous university ranking systems in 2003. It has been criticised in the past for its heavy reliance on science-oriented sources, using indicators such as the number of alumni and staff winning Nobel prizes and Fields Medals, and the number of articles published in Nature and Science.

The ranking also uses the Science Citation Index and the Social Sciences Citation Index, as well as each university’s ‘per capita performance’ in determining a university’s place in the rankings.

The latter is calculated by the weighted scores of the other five indicators divided by the number of full-time equivalent academic staff. The centre says that if staff numbers are not available, only the weighted scores of the five indicators are used.

The centre is certainly correct, however, when it refers to its “transparent methodology and reliable data” – unlike some other rankings – and its listings are still regarded as the most reliable, if not most prestigious, of all the global university ranking systems.

Performance by field It also publishes other results of the vast amount of data the ranking collects, such as the classification of the top 200 universities in five broad fields as well as in five selected subject fields.

The following lists the fields and the top five universities in each, which again shows America’s domination: Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Berkeley, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Caltech.

Engineering -Technology and Computer Sciences: MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and University of Texas at Austin. Life and Agriculture Sciences: Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford, MIT and University of California, San Francisco. Clinical Medicine and Pharmacy: Harvard, UC San Francisco, Washington (Seattle), Johns Hopkins and Stanford.

Social Sciences: Harvard, Chicago, MIT, Berkeley and Columbia. And in the subject fields: Mathematics: Princeton, Harvard, Berkeley, Pierre and Marie Curie and Stanford.


http://www.punchng.com/education/us-tops-shanghai-university-rankings-china-on-rise/

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Objectively, I believe Urbana-Champaign deserves a higher spot in Engineering than Berkeley. The school will make your stay hellish with workload and short exams that'll test your limit.

Junk list.

We all know UK Unis always dominate the list of the top-10 Unis in the world, and have been doing so since the beginning of time.

The source alone just shows how credible the list is - Nigerian source.

Anyway, what has name of institution got to do with the abilities of an individual in problem solving? - primitive mentality.

Meanwhile our president has this to say:

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday challenged indigenous engineers in Nigeria to up their game so as to effectively match the professional standards offered by their counterparts in foreign lands.

This, he said, would enable Nigerian engineers to reverse the trend of foreigners dominating the construction industry.

Jonathan gave the charge in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 23rd Engineering Assembly organised by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.

The 23rd Assembly’s theme was ‘Commercialising Engineering, An Imperative for National Development.’

The President, who......

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-charges-nigerian-engineers-to-match-foreign-counterparts/

They are just highly rated garbage universities filled with narcissistic professors.

To be accepted in goods schools one has to make the grade. And not only must one make the grade he or she has to sustain it to graduate or risk probation. Failure to escape probation you're axed. So schools matter in the US. Perhaps it doesn't matter in mushroom schools because, after all, they all are glorified high-schools.

Missy89: They are just highly rated garbage universities filled with narcissistic professors.

MIT, Harvard, Stanford.... are all garbage schools? lol!

In case you didn't know, Cambridge, Copenhagen, Oxford, UIC, and few other schools shaped classical science and engineering while MIT, UIC, UIUC, and Stanford shaped modern Engineering. By modern engineering I mean engineering in the era of quantum physics.

Missy89: They are just highly rated garbage universities filled with narcissistic professors.

The OP himself is an educated illiterate.

Have you been opportune to read his posts? This guy posts incoherent epistles, with no head or tail, without making any sense whatsoever - apart from religious bigotry, and sentimental tripe.

Most of these Universities are living off old glory, popularity, and citations. A lot of the not-so-highly ranked ones, are actually far better in researches than the top ones. In the UK for example - I'd wager that Warwick might actually be better than the "best" three, but it never gets the nod.

Anyway, only clowns who attended glorified prep schools you won't find on any rankings are obsessed with University rankings.

^^ Sorry bro, I attended UIUC and did my masters in Austin. Both schools are on the list but I respect UIUC far better than Austin. I don't get off on accomplishments even though I have quite a few. So move along. Perhaps folks don't get the reason I put the list of good schools up, it is to show how much we've fallen behind the world in science and engineering. We're begging for Ebola drug from people who have paid the price and mastered their fate. I read where GEJ is tasking Nigerian engineers to up their game and I was wondering what game is he talking about. So contrary to your conjecture schools matter. And one more thing, I'm not moved by foul mouth high-schoolers.

SamIkenna:

MIT, Harvard, Stanford.... are all garbage schools? lol!

In case you didn't know, Cambridge, Copenhagen, Oxford, UIC, and few other schools shaped classical science and engineering while MIT, UIC, UIUC, and Stanford shaped modern Engineering. By modern engineering I mean engineering in the era of quantum physics.

So? stop living in the past.

MIT is garbage now and so is Harvard. a decent state college will give their top student and professors a run for their money.

The two Universities you allegedly attended aren't even top-40 in USA: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/page+4

Yet you're running your mouth to someone who graduated from a Russell Group University, that's actually top-15 in the UK.

Take the back seat.

Missy89:

So? stop living in the past.

MIT is garbage now and so is Harvard. a decent state college will give their top student and professors a run for their money.

I like Caltech and Stanford.

Missy89:

So? stop living in the past.

MIT is garbage now and so is Harvard. a decent state college will give their top student and professors a run for their money.

Yea, a decent college can do that but to say MIT is garbage is laughable.

SirShymex:

The OP himself is an educated illiterate.

Have you been opportune to read his posts? This guy posts incoherent epistles, with no head or tail, without making any sense whatsoever - apart from religious bigotry, and sentimental tripe.

Most of these Universities are living off old glory, popularity, and citations. A lot of the not-so-highly ranked ones, are actually far better in researches than the top ones. In the UK for example - I'd wager that Warwick might actually be better than the "best" three, but it never gets the nod.

Anyway, only clowns who attended glorified prep schools you won't find on any rankings are obsessed with University rankings.

You know one thing i have learned from this so called "top schools" is that they do not do a lot of teaching there. The professors are obsessed about wining a prize or getting a grant and you have to do most of the learning by yourself.

Dude I studied Engineering ok. I hate to blow my cover in online forum but if you must know there's a difference between 'best schools' and best engineering schools. UIUC and Austin are ranked very high in electrical and computer engineering so go figure.

SirShymex:

I like Caltech and Stanford.

Will pick Caltech before i even think of MIT.

Missy89:

Will pick Caltech before i even think of MIT.

Give me one reason Caltech is better than MIT. Please enlighten us. I'm waiting.

Mind you, I'm not saying MIT is better, I just want to know why you think Caltech is better than MIT.

SamIkenna:

Give me one reason Caltech is better than MIT. Please enlighten us. I'm waiting.

Mind you, I'm not saying MIT is better, I just want to know why you think Caltech is better.

Stop confusing yourself.

You believe MIT is might not be better than Caltech yet you are asking me why i think Caltech is better than MIT.

Haven't you answered you own question?

Missy89:

Stop confusing yourself.

You believe MIT is might not be better than Caltech yet you are asking me why i think Caltech is better than MIT.

Haven't you answered you own question?

Wow! so much for comprehension. My post says I do not have a pick for now (basically, I'm not revealing my pick yet). It didn't say MIT is better than Caltech or vice versa. Simply put: tell us why you consider Caltech superior to MIT. Give us one or two reasons, that's all.

SamIkenna:

Wow! so much for comprehension. My post says I do not have a pick. It didn't say MIT is better than Caltech or vice versa. Simply put: tell us why you consider Caltech superior to MIT. Give us one or two reasons, that's all.

where did i say Cal-tech was superior ?. quote me!
Shymexx said he likes Caltech and i said i will pick it before MIT

are you sure i am the one who needs to comprehend?

Missy89:

where did i say Cal-tech was superior ?. quote me!
Symexx said he likes Caltech and i said i will pick it before MIT

are you sure i am the one who needs to comprehend?

You picked Caltech over MIT. In other words it can be inferred that you believe Caltech is superior to MIT - simple induction. Based on that premise I asked you for reasons why you think so, instead of telling us what informed your choice you keep jumping from pillar to post.

The fact is clear: you do not know why you chose Caltech. You were merely following the wind.

SamIkenna:

You picked Caltech over MIT, in other words it can be inferred that you believe Caltech is superior to MIT. Based on that premise I asked you for reasons why you think so, instead of telling us what informed your choice you keep jumping from pillar to post.

So as educated as you claim you are,
Superiority is the sole purpose for choosing between two different entity?
You are asking me a very dumb question really so i will keep toying with you till you see how silly your question is.

Missy89:

So as educated as you claim you are,
Superiority is the sole purpose for choosing between two different entity?
You are asking me a very dumb question really so i will keep toying with you till you see how silly your question is.

You jumped on a thread that has list of top ranked schools and you ended up 'picking' Caltech over MIT. When asked to give reasons for your 'pick' you resorted to intellectual sleight of hand. The point is simple, and I will reiterate it again, you did not know why you chose Caltech. When you said "I pick A over B" in a thread that lists top raked schools what were you thinking? Did you not understand you were either reinforcing or dismantling the list? I guess that's why you didn't understand my use of the word 'superior' above. At any rate, considering some factors I would say you've tried because, quite frankly, you're one notch higher than some of the loud mouths around here who enjoy getting in the mud. So, my dear have a nice day.

SirShymex: Junk list.

We all know UK Unis always dominate the list of the top-10 Unis in the world, and have been doing so since the beginning of time.

The source alone just shows how credible the list is - Nigerian source.

Anyway, what has name of institution got to do with the abilities of an individual in problem solving? - primitive mentality.

Dont mind them. That is the west version. African version will definitely have Nigerian tertiary institutions occupying the five positions.

Most people in the know will agree that caltech is better than MIT.

Harvard is a good school, but admissions standards are more stringent in Stanford.

California has a better pool of schools compared to the ivy leagues in the east coast.

SamIkenna:

You jumped on a thread that has list of top ranked schools and you ended up 'picking' Caltech over MIT. When asked to give reasons for your 'pick' you resorted to intellectual sleight of hand. The point is simple, and I will reiterate it again, you did not know why you chose Caltech. When you said "I pick A over B" in a thread that lists top raked schools what were you thinking? Did you not understand you were either reinforcing or dismantling the list? I guess that's why you didn't understand my use of the word 'superior' above. At any rate, considering some factors I would say you've tried because, quite frankly, you're one notch higher than some of the loud mouths around here who enjoy getting in the mud. So, my dear have a nice day.

Dude,

I responded to someone who said he Likes Caltech and i said i would pick it over MIT . On the other hand, I already responded to your thread by saying most of the schools on the list you posted were overrated. so i didn't jumped into anything, instead you jumped into the conversation i was having with someone else on the thread and asked me why my choice was superior even thou u said you are not sure if the choice i never went for was any better.

SINCERELY, I was even trying to give you a reason only to refresh the page and notice you edited your post to include the line where you said "you are not saying MIT is any better". then it was clear you are just trying to hedge your choice and drag me into a silly argument that i do not have any time for.
So we can keep this up as long as you want

Missy89: They are just highly rated garbage universities filled with narcissistic professors.

I agree with you, but the topic is still valid.

Branding, name recognition and a better connection/alumni base is what sets these schools apart.

Many public schools have top notch research programs, but society still elevates the so called rated schools. C'est la vie.

The 4 year colleges and graduate programs in the CUNY system are very much underrated.

chulla12: The 4 year colleges and graduate programs in the CUNY system are very much underrated.

are you saying that because you attended to CUNY?

Naa, didn't attend CUNY. I'm actually based in naija but very conversant with the US.

Have one or two friends that went there though. I am actually positively shocked at the quality of their alumni base, research, etc.

You disaggree?

I think it is underrated..yeah. Though California has the best public school system in the country....followed by Texas.

Missy89:

are you saying that because you attended to CUNY?

Say you went to a university in the russell group, then did a masters in an ivy league school. Anyone know how much different this is, from say, doing both undergraduate and masters in an ivy league school?