Prestigious universities in the world ranking. What is the best university in the world

Many rating agencies are involved in determining the best universities in the world, and the results of their assessments sometimes differ significantly.

To determine the best universities in the world as objectively as possible, we collected data from three world university rankings - QS, Shanghai and U.S. News.

Rankings based on which the best universities in the world are determined

The best universities in the world 2016-2017

Harvard University

- a university that has established itself as a world leader in the field of exact sciences and technologies. This is where cutting-edge research in the natural sciences and engineering takes place. MIT has produced 80 Nobel laureates and many outstanding scientists, engineers, and public figures who have changed our lives forever.

– a truly legendary educational institution, one of the oldest in Europe. The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209 and has established itself as a brilliant institution from the very beginning. No university in the world can boast as many Nobel laureates who studied within its walls as Cambridge - 88 winners of this prestigious award.

- the first educational institution opened in London. Since its creation, the university has always been at the forefront of research work. UCL alumni include the prime ministers of China and Japan, as well as Alexander Bel (inventor of the telephone), John Fleming (inventor of the vacuum tube) and Francis Crick (discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule).

Ratings of educational institutions are carried out by special statistical agencies. Moreover, the data can vary greatly, depending on many factors that they took into account. As a result, it turns out that in the statistical top 100 of the best universities in the world, for example, one university is in fifth place, and according to another ranking, the same educational institution occupies 20th place.

Therefore, for a more objective picture, we will consider the lists of three world agencies at once: QS, THE (Times Higher Education) and U.S. News. They are distinguished by their impartiality, as well as their authority. That is, we will look for a kind of arithmetic mean, if such a concept can be applied to the ranking of the best universities in the world.

It’s worth clarifying right away that domestic establishments, alas, are not included in this list. All universities discussed are located in North America and the UK. Yes, we have decent universities, but according to the above-mentioned agencies, they are not good enough. One of the most serious Russian educational institutions - Lomonosov Moscow State University - occupies only 95th place in the list of the best universities in the world (2017) (QS statistics). So our universities are still very far from reaching the top ten, but still have a long way to go to reach the top fifty.

So, let's try to figure out what is the best university in the world, why it is so famous, what they study there and where to find it. Data may change from year to year, but the top three and even top five, as a rule, remain unchanged and hold the bar for a very, very long time. Let us designate the top ten educational institutions.

TOP of the best universities in the world:

1. Harvard University.
2. Cambridge.
3. Oxford.
4. Stanford.
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
6. University College London.
7. California Institute of Technology.
8. Yale university.
9. Imperial College London.

Now let’s take a closer look at the most notable educational institutions.

Harvard University

The permanent leader of the ranking, that is, the best university in the world, remains Harvard. It was founded back in 1636 and is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The average number of students according to the university fluctuates around 21 thousand people.

Among the world's top universities, Harvard has the largest endowment fund, as well as a significant number of scholarships with significant numbers in the checks. It is worth mentioning separately the library at the university - it is simply a treasure trove for anyone who craves knowledge and answers to their questions.

Faculties

Today's student-to-teacher ratio is seven to one. Moreover, a good half of the lectures are given to groups of no more than 20 people, which significantly increases the chances of applicants understanding and retaining the material received.

The best university in the world has the following faculties:

• business school;
• humanitarian sciences;
• design;
• pedagogy;
• management and management;
• right;
• healthcare;
• dentistry;
• religion;
• applied Science;
• advanced research.

And this is not a complete list. There are also academic specialties and departments for training specialists in various fields. So at Harvard you can study any science, if you have the desire (and opportunity).

Graduates

Among the famous graduates of the best university in the world are US presidents (Roosevelt, Kennedy, Bush, Obama), world leaders of other countries, members of royal families (Prince Frederick of Denmark, Sheikh Sabah of Kuwait, Princess Owada of Japan, as well as businessmen Zuckerberg and Bill Gates .

University of Cambridge

Silver is awarded to one of the oldest educational institutions in Europe - the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1209 and is located in East Anglia (approximately 90 km north of London). Stansted Airport is located nearby (50 km).

Almost 30 thousand students from all over the world study at the university. The educational institution is distinguished by its conservatism (as is the whole of Foggy Albion), so any applicant who finds himself within the walls of Cambridge becomes part of centuries-old English traditions. This applies to clothing, matriculation rites, graduation ceremonies, etc.

University faculties

When entering university, applicants are always faced with a serious dilemma - which college to choose. The fact is that the existing Cambridge system is strikingly different from the usual American and European counterparts.

That is, when choosing a college, which is also a faculty, you determine your lifestyle and social circle. Whatever direction you take, it has its own buildings, gyms, playgrounds and generally separate structures that have no connection with other specializations.

Colleges:

• humanitarian sciences;
• biology;
• clinical medicine;
• physics;
• cutting-edge research;
• Social sciencies.

All of them are divided into 150 faculties and departments. It is worth noting that to study at the university you need to have not only an impeccable portfolio, but a tidy sum in your bank account.

Famous Alumni

Cambridge is famous for its alumni, including such major figures as Newton, Bacon, Rutherford and Oppenheimer. You can also note major literary figures: A. A. Milne, J. B. Prisley, Cl. Art. Lewis, L. Stern and our compatriot Vladimir Nabokov.

Cambridge has given our planet the largest number of Nobel Prize winners in many fields.

University of Oxford

Bronze went to another oldest university in Europe - Oxford. The educational institution was founded in 1096 and is located in Central England (100 km northwest of London). Oxford can accommodate up to 25 thousand students from all over the world.

The university is also notable for the fact that the cult film about Harry Potter was filmed on the territory of Christ Church College, and the no less legendary “Alice in Wonderland” was written within its walls.

List of faculties

The main direction of the university is the humanities. But since the twentieth century, exact sciences, law, music, medicine and art have been taught with due success at Oxford. The academic year here begins in October and consists of three semesters: autumn, winter and spring. Summer, accordingly, is vacation time.

There are plenty of teachers in Oxford: one lecturer can read to an audience of five or six people, which makes full use of the tutoring system. That is, the student receives from his teacher not only basic, but also expanded specialized knowledge.

Colleges:

• humanitarian sciences;
• design;
• pedagogy;
• right;
• healthcare;
• applied Science;
• advanced research.

Faculties, as in the case of Cambridge, are divided into colleges and function according to a similar scheme.

Famous graduates

Among the famous graduates of the university are the following world figures: Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Lewis Carroll and John Tolkien. We cannot forget our compatriots - Anna Akhmatova, Joseph Brodsky, Ivan Turgenev and Korney Chukovsky.

Stanford University

Stanford is primarily famous for its research activities. From the first years of its existence (1891), the educational institution devoted itself to the search for truth and solving the most difficult problems, while, of course, training applicants and attracting the best of them into its ranks. The complex is located in Silicon Valley, in the state of California, North America.

In addition, Stanford has repeatedly been ranked at the top of the rankings as the best medical university in the world, thanks to innovative discoveries in this field and a large number of exceptionally competent and experienced teachers.

Stanford faculties

Stanford was conceived not only as a purely educational institution, but also as a practical one. That is, when other universities focused on the cultural level, Stanford, month by month, systematized the data of world employment exchanges and produced exclusively “useful” citizens to society.

University specializations:

• business and management;
• medicine;
• geoscience;
• humanitarian sciences;
• engineering;
• right;
• pedagogy;
• society

The specific direction of each faculty was necessarily calculated based on the current needs of the labor market, so Stanford graduates were 100% likely to be provided with a job. In fact, they were already employed, having just chosen a specialization and passed the entrance exams.

About graduates

We owe the invention of the modem and TCP/IP protocols to Stanford. Together with other alumni, Vintov Cerf and Brand Townsend made the Internet possible today. Presidents and statesmen studied at the university: US President Herbert Hoover, Senators Kent Conrad, Dianne Feinstein and Supreme Court Justice Sandra O'Connor.

Businessmen also distinguished themselves with high-quality education: Nike director Philip Knight, developer and father of the Pay Pal payment system Peter Thiel, two founders of the venerable Google search engine Lawrence Page and Sergey Brin, as well as Yahoo founder David Philo.

Cambridge university

Cambridge opens the list of the best universities in the world. The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209, and is the fourth oldest university in the world. The University of Cambridge is located in the UK, Cambridge. The average cost of studying at this university is $20,000. About 17 thousand students study at the university, 5 thousand of whom receive a second education. More than 15% of Cambridge University students are foreigners.

Harvard ranks second in the ranking of the best universities in the world. Harvard University was founded in 1636 and is considered the most famous university in the United States. More than 6.7 thousand students, 15 thousand graduate students study there, and 2.1 thousand teachers work there. Graduates of this university were eight US presidents (John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Rutherford Hayes, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, John Kennedy, George W. Bush, Barack Obama), as well as 49 Nobel Prize winners and 36 Pulitzer Prize winners. Tuition at Harvard University is $40,000.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is considered one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. In an MIT record, 77 members of the MIT community are Nobel Prize laureates. The average cost of training, including accommodation, is 55 thousand dollars. More than 4 thousand students and 6 thousand graduate students, as well as about a thousand teachers, study at MIT.

Yale University ranks fourth among the best universities in the world. This is one of the most prestigious private universities in the world. Tuition costs an average of $37,000. Yale University is located in the USA, Connecticut. Students from 110 countries study at the university, and more than 11 thousand people receive education every year. Five former US presidents studied at this university, as well as many politicians, businessmen and scientists.

Probably many have heard about Oxford University. Oxford is one of the most famous and oldest universities in the world. More than 20 thousand students study there, 25% of whom are foreigners. There are also over 4 thousand teachers at Oxford. Studying at this university will cost you on average from 10 to 25 thousand dollars, depending on the chosen specialty. Oxford also has over 100 libraries and more than 300 different student interest groups.

Imperial College London was founded in 1907 by Prince Albert. The college is located in the very center of London. It employs about 8 thousand employees, of which 1,400 are teachers. There are 14.5 thousand students studying at Imperial College, and the average cost of education, depending on the specialty, is 25-45 thousand dollars; the most expensive specialty there is considered to be the medical specialty. 14 Nobel laureates have graduated from this college.

University College London was founded in 1826. At the moment, the college ranks third in the number of foreigners studying there, and first in the number of female professors. In total, more than 22 thousand students study at the college, almost half of whom receive a second higher education, and 8 thousand are foreign students. The average cost of training is from 18 to 25 thousand dollars. 26 Nobel laureates have graduated from this college.

The University of Chicago was founded in 1890 thanks to donations from John Rockefeller. The university employs more than 2 thousand teachers, 10 thousand graduate students and 4.6 thousand students study. The university also has a library, the construction of which cost $81 million. The average cost of training is 40-45 thousand dollars. There are 79 Nobel laureates affiliated with this university.

The University of Pennsylvania was founded in 1740 as a charity school, became a college in 1755, and in 1779 was the first college to be given university status. In 1973, over 52 thousand students studied at the university. At the moment, more than 19 thousand students study at the university, and more than 3.5 thousand professors teach. The average cost of tuition at the University of Pennsylvania is $40,000.

Columbia University closes our top ranking of the best universities in the world. It is located in New York City, where it occupies an area of ​​13 hectares. Columbia University was founded in 1754. Many famous people have graduated from this university, including: 4 US presidents, nine Supreme Court judges, 97 Nobel laureates and 26 heads of other states, the list of which includes the current President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. More than 20 thousand students study at the university, half of whom are girls. The average cost of training is 40-44 thousand dollars.

Best Universities in the World Videos

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Over 150 years, MIT has produced more than 70 Nobel laureates, eight of whom are on the university's faculty. More than 10,000 students study architecture and planning, engineering, humanities and social sciences, management, science, health and technical and applied sciences at the highest level.

2. Stanford University

The university was founded by railroad magnate Leland Stanford in 1891 in memory of his son, Leland Stanford Jr., who died as a teenager in 1884. It is believed that Stanford, the most selective American university after Harvard, approves only 7% of applicants' applications each year. University graduates became the founders of such famous companies as Hewlett-Packard and Google. Stanford is one of the three richest universities in the world. 11,000 students are enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

3. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Caltech emphasizes science and engineering programs in its research and teaching. About 2,300 students study here, and the teaching staff numbers 300 people. There are 31 Nobel laureates among the institute’s graduates, and in addition to educational and research activities, the university manages the Jet Propulsion laboratory (a division of NASA) and a global network of astronomical observatories and research centers.

4. Princeton University

The smallest in size, but far from important, the Ivy League university was founded in 1746. During this time, Princeton produced 30 Nobel laureates. Currently, the university has 5,000 bachelors and 2,500 postgraduate students, and the teaching staff numbers 1,100 people.

5. University of Cambridge

Cambridge graduates occupy important places in modern history: Newton and the laws of motion, Rutherford and the splitting of the atom, Darwin and the theory of evolution, Crick and Watson and the DNA model. Founded in 1209 by Oxford University scholars who left the institution after disagreements with the local population, Cambridge is now one of the world's leading universities, with more than 18,000 students and 8,500 staff.

6. Imperial College London

The main activities of the university are based on research, which is conducted in four faculties: medicine, natural sciences, engineering and business. The university was founded in 1907 as part of the University of London. The main campus is located in the museum district of London and is a combination of classic English architecture and modern design. There are 7,500 employees for 14,000 students.

7. University of Oxford

A renowned university whose graduates include 26 British prime ministers, at least 30 world leaders, 12 saints and 20 archbishops of Canterburg. In the 13th century, college education was effectively created with the founding of Oxford. One of the oldest universities in the world includes 38 colleges and 6 permanent residences.

8. ETH Zurich (ETH Zürich)

You don't need to be an Einstein to study at ETH - every Swiss citizen who has received a school certificate has the right to enter the country's strongest technical university. More than 16,000 students study at 16 faculties. And the great Albert Einstein received his diploma here in 1901.

9. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)

Located near Hollywood with a renowned film and television school, the university is a magnet for all film lovers. The university has 26,000 employees and more than 38,000 students. UCLA athletes consistently place first in intercollegiate competition.

10. University of California, Berkeley

Vitamin E was invented here, Scarlatti's lost opera was found, and the influenza virus was discovered. More than 20 graduates became Nobel laureates. More than 36,000 students study at the university, of which 10,000 are in postgraduate education programs. The university is located on the border with San Francisco.

fotos: en.wikipedia.org, streetwise.co, betcheslovethis, intro_about. stanford.edu, palmerslodges, roycelarge aisingcaliforniatogether.org, standard.co.uk, sa.berkeley.edu

Vitaly Ivanov 28.08.2015

Age: 27 years old
University: Aalto University
Travel dates: September 2015
Program: master's degree

Applying to a master's program in Finland with Allterra Education

I decided to go study abroad when I visited a friend studying in Holland. The first-hand story about studying and the campus tour made a huge impression on me. After that, I decided to independently prepare a package of documents for admission to the master’s program. I chose a program that involved studying for a year in Delft and a year in Helsinki. I prepared a motivation letter, diploma, resume, received letters of recommendation, passed IELTS and sent everything to the admissions office. I wasn’t sure that I would get in, so I immediately decided that I needed to apply to several more universities. But since preparing the documents took a lot of effort and time, I decided that this time I needed to contact an educational agency.

I initially chose Allterra Education because I liked the website, which was informative and had a nice design. I called the agency and talked with Maria Lutsenko, a specialist in higher education abroad. Having gone to the first meeting, I realized that I was not mistaken. I really liked Maria’s approach, her desire to understand the purpose of the training and her attentive attitude to my wishes. As a result, we decided to focus on enrolling in a master’s program in Finland, as a country with a very good IT education (also free) and support for young entrepreneurs known throughout Europe. And although there was a week left before the deadline for accepting applications to Finnish universities, Maria convinced me that we would do everything in time, because I already had the bulk of the documents. After choosing universities, there was a week of intensive preparation of documents. Maria edited all my texts taking into account the specifics of the training programs and very organized and carefully prepared packages of documents for each of the universities, and there were four of them. All documents were delivered on time. After about three months, responses began to arrive from universities. As a result, I was accepted into three out of four universities. Most of all I wanted to enter Aalto University, and the first positive answer came from him. I will never forget my joy:) Obtaining a study permit and finding housing also went smoothly, because there was no need to rush so much:) Now I have two years of studying ahead of me at Aalto, and I hope that they will bring me a wonderful experience and the most vivid impressions.

I would like to say a huge thank you to the Allterra Education team and especially to Maria Lutsenko. You do work that helps people fulfill their dreams, opens up new horizons for them, and you do this work with soul and very professionally! Good luck to you in your wonderful business!

With great gratitude,

Vitaly Ivanov

Finland, Helsinki

Catherine 08.09.2014

Age: 17 years
University: University of Toronto
Travel dates: September 2014 - present

Program: Bachelor's degree, Faculty of Engineering

Our faculty has a reputation for being the craziest in the entire university, and he lives up to that))

Today we gathered early in the morning, we were given a huge bag of gifts (mostly things with the symbols of the university and student organizations: a water bottle, a towel, a hat, flip-flops and a bunch of other things, and most importantly - a yellow helmet and a T-shirt! )

The whole day we just walked around the city and went as crazy as we could! All faculty!

First there was a concert - a short introduction from the “old” students. Everyone is so cool! So cheerful! Everyone says that studying is very difficult, but everyone seems to be alive)

What haven't we done? Basically, we ran around the city, played, danced) Today they didn’t feed us normal food: they just handed out different pizzas and subs - sandwiches from Subway)

One of the main traditions of first-year engineers is to be covered in purple paint from head to toe. You can also swim in it, which is what I did))))) Almost everyone did it, today it was hot: +26

It really was very cool) The paint is not toxic, but it doesn’t wash off right away)))) So now I look a lot like Mystique from the X-Men, only purple)))))))

Then we put on our yellow helmets and paraded around the city (engineering faculty only!)

It was simply unreal! The university has its own police, and they blocked traffic on the main streets especially for us. We were just walking, chanting something, so many people had gathered to watch) We walked along one of the largest streets, through a huge shopping center, all the cars beeped at us, and what’s more - even trams))

Everyone somehow got to know each other, although after everyone got smeared with paint, it became difficult to recognize each other)

In the evening we had a short lecture, because tomorrow we will have a test (((It’s just to test our skills, how ready we are: they don’t give marks for it. But it’s still a little sad that there’s already a test(

Engineers are generally different from other students: as I understand it, studying will be the hardest for us, we start this Thursday, although the rest are only next week, and our schedule is much busier

But we have the best time of all, although in less time)

Canada, Toronto

Any employer values ​​a good education. Nowadays it is not very difficult to get into a foreign university, you just need to prepare well for admission. It is in order to choose the optimally suitable university that ratings are compiled.

How are ratings compiled?

Criteria for evaluating universities:

• Student reviews.
• Quality of scientific research.
• Admission requirements and average passing score.
• Number of students per teacher.
• Costs for material and technical base.
• Students who have completed the course.
• Career prospects.

All data is passed through many filters, and you should not refuse a suitable offer just because of a line in the rating.

100 best universities in the world

In the top 2015, the first 10 places are occupied by Great Britain. The ranking of world universities was compiled by an independent commission; the survey was conducted in 9 languages.

So, Harvard University is opening one hundred of the best universities in the world. This is a very old educational institution, opened in the 17th century. Many US presidents have emerged from its walls.

The second place is taken by the University of Cambridge. This is the oldest university currently existing. It was founded in 1209.

Oxford takes third place. This educational institution, like the two previous ones, is very old and world famous.

All these educational institutions have been known for a very long time, have an impeccable reputation, and after graduating from one of the universities you can count on 100% employment.

The list includes universities from both Europe and Asia. The last, hundredth place on the list is the University of Massachusetts. Thus, the list is closed and opened by a US university.

Of course, to choose a top university, you need not only a large investment of money, but also basic knowledge and knowledge of the language of the country where the educational institution is located.

Best technical universities

Technical specialties are in demand and are popular along with the humanities. IT specialties are especially valued.

The ranking of technical universities in the world is headed by the USA. Its peculiarity is that students learn by doing, rather than cramming tedious theory. Therefore, the university is a leader in intra-university research. It is worth noting that the competition for admission to this university is unrealistically high, and to get there, you need to try very hard.

The Indian Institute of Technology is also in the top five. This is a real talent forge for the IT sector. There is no clear specialization at the institute, and students study approximately 40 disciplines. Foreign students are paid a scholarship as part of the exchange of cultural experiences.

The top ten includes Imperial College London. Training there is relatively inexpensive - 12 thousand pounds per year. But there will be large expenses for housing, because the college does not have a dormitory. And in London, property prices are high.

The Australian University of South Wales is in the top twenty. The teaching principles are very similar to the University of Massachusetts.

Russia ranks 66th among world technical universities. This is the location of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Top Medical Universities

Oxford is in first place in the top medical universities. As you can see, it is not only included in the ranking of universities in the world, but also the best among teaching medicine.

In second place is Harvard University.

Cambridge takes third place.

Fourth place was given to Imperial College London.

Stanford University, located in the USA, closes the top five.

But Russian universities are not included in the ranking of medical universities in the world.

Top global business schools

Business schools are usually part of large universities and very rarely exist separately. After graduation, graduates become managers at various levels.

Harvard is in first place among business schools.

Second place was given to the University of London and its business school.

The University of Pennsylvania ranks third.

Ranking of prestigious universities in the world, according to the U.S. agency. News

In first place, as in almost all rankings, is Harvard University.

Second place belongs to the Massachusetts Technical University.

Third place went to the University of California at Berkeley.

A British university appears only in fifth place - the University of Oxford.

In general, almost only US universities are represented in the first twenty positions. Then you can find universities in Japan, Canada, China, Australia, Singapore and European countries. But the most common are American universities. Therefore, there are concerns that agency experts, out of patriotic feelings, may slightly overestimate educational institutions in their country.

Ranking of world universities by specialty

In addition to the general rating, ratings of specialties are compiled. This is done so that the applicant can choose the most suitable university. Because not all universities have every department or department equally strong. A university may be in the top ten of the overall ranking, but after admission it turns out that at a lesser-known institute, the knowledge in a particular specialty is deeper, more interesting than internships, and so on.

The lists are compiled in six areas:

• humanitarian;
• engineering and technical;
• biosciences;
• physics and chemistry;
• medicine;
• social direction.

MSU took several positions in different areas at once: 35th place in the field of “Linguistics”, 36th place in “Physics and Astronomy”, and in the specialty “Computer Science and Information Technology” it was among the top 100. In addition to Moscow State University, the hundred includes St. Petersburg University.

Russian universities in international rankings

In Soviet times, education in our country was considered the best in the world. During the years of perestroika and during the 90s, the level decreased slightly, but currently it has begun to rise in the world.

According to the QS agency, which analyzes all higher education institutions in the world and compiles rankings, Russian universities are in the following places:

• In 114th place is Moscow State University. Lomonosov.
• On the 233rd - St. Petersburg State University.
• On the 322nd - MSTU named after. Bauman.
• In 328th place is the Novosibirsk National Research Institute.
• From 400th to 500th place are the Peoples' Friendship University, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, St. Petersburg Technical University, Tomsk State University.
• From 500th to 600th places - Tomsk Polytechnic University, Higher School of Economics, Kazan University, Ural University. Yeltsin, Saratov State University.
• 800th place is occupied by the Southern Federal University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, FEFU and Voronezh State University.

Results

When choosing a suitable educational institution, you need to focus not only on the ranking of the most prestigious universities in the world. This is a very conditional indicator; various ratings are marketing tools, and their compilation may be unknown to the average person. Of course, there is no reason not to trust popular agencies, but when choosing a university, it is better to focus on your interests.