The 2022 ranking of the top universities in the world
According to THE (Times Higher Education), the ranking of the best universities in the world according to THE (Times Higher Education) has just been released. Like every year, it highlights the institutions that stand out for the high quality of their research or their teaching. Focus on the 2022 ranking.
What is the best university in the world? While it is difficult (and very subjective) to answer this question, some people try to provide some answers. It is particularly the case with THE, which annually ranks the most prestigious establishments on the planet.
As usual, you will discover the universities that offer the most international possible framework of studies or the one whose quality of teaching is well established. According to THE, the 2022 ranking of the best universities in the world will also serve as a compass for you to choose your exchange, although you can also base yourself on this list of the best American institutions!
The methodology of the 2022 ranking of the top universities in the world
To achieve this ranking of the best universities in the world, THE looked at five criteria:
- The quality of teaching (30%)
- Research (30%)
- The influence of research (15%)
- International (7.5%)
- Income from research (2.5%)
For the first two criteria, THE ranking is based above all on a survey that assesses a university’s reputation in terms of research and the quality of teaching. The media also wanted to highlight the income from research, indicating that the ability of a university to sell innovations to companies is now at the heart of the concerns of these institutions.
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The ranking of the best universities in the world
Each year, universities around the world compete mercilessly in university rankings. The most famous rankings are the QS Ranking and the Shanghai Ranking . Since these are annual rankings, the best universities in the world vary from year to year.
Regarding the coming year, the new rankings are already giving us clues as to where to go to study. Here is the ranking of the best universities in the world in 2020, according to the QS ranking :
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – United States
- Stanford University – United States
- Harvard University – United States
- University of Oxford – United Kingdom
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – United States
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich – Switzerland
- University of Cambridge – United Kingdom
- University College London (UCL) – United Kingdom
- Imperial College London – United Kingdom
- University of Chicago – United States
- Nanyang University of Technology – Singapore
- National University of Singapore – Singapore
- Princeton University – United States
- Cornell University – United States
- University of Pennsylvania – United States
- Tsinghua University – China
- Yale University – United States
- Columbia University – United States
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne – Switzerland
- University of Edinburgh – United Kingdom
- University of Michigan – United States
- Peking University – China
- University of Tokyo – Japan
- Johns Hopkins University – United States
- Duke University – United States
The 2022 ranking of the top universities in the world academically
Unsurprisingly, the Ivy League is very well represented in this thematic sub-ranking, which academically highlights the best universities in the world. We, therefore, find Harvard, in the first position, with a score of 94.5 / 100, followed by CalTech (California Institute of Technology), which obtained a score of 93.6. Finally, the top 3 is closed by Stanford, whose score is 92.3.
China stands at the 4th position with Peking University (91.4). However, it takes 14th place to find UC Berkeley, which is however in the ranking of best American universities according to Forbes. France, meanwhile, appears only at the 31st position Palmares of THE, on the criterion of the quality of teaching. It is with PSL – a group of schools that brings together the University of Paris-Dauphine, ENSAD, or MINES ParisTech – that it stands out.
| Academic rank | Rank general classification | Establishment | Academic note |
| 1 | 2 | Harvard | 94.5 |
| 2 | 2 | CalTech | 93.6 |
| 3 | 4 | Stanford | 92.3 |
| 4 | 16 | Peking University | 91.4 |
| 5 | 1 | Oxford | 91 |
| 6 | 5 | Cambridge | 90.9 |
| 6 | 5 | MIT | 90.9 |
| 8 | 9 | Yale | 90.7 |
| 9 | 7 | Princeton | 89.5 |
| 10 | 16 | Tsinghua University | 88.1 |
| 11 | 11 | Columbia university | 87.8 |
| 12 | 10 | The University of Chicago | 87.2 |
| 13 | 35 | The University of Tokyo | 86.9 |
| 14 | 8 | UC Berkeley | 85.7 |
| 15 | 13 | University of Pennsylvania | 84.5 |
Universities that offer the best international experience
To achieve this ranking of the best universities in the world, THE focused on international experience, a very important criterion for students. The media evaluated several criteria: the proportion of international students, a dimension which accounts for 2.5% of the score obtained in the global ranking, the proportion of international teachers (2.5%), and the collaborations and partnerships established through the world (2.5%).
On this criterion, Chinese universities are exemplary among the higher education institutions on the planet. In the top 5, the Middle Kingdom has six universities, starting with the Macau University of Science and Technology, an institution that scores 99.9 on this criterion. It is followed by the City University of Hong Kong (99.7) and the University of Luxembourg (99.5), a university tied with the Università Della Svizzera Italiana.
| Academic rank | Rank general classification | Establishment | Academic note |
| 1 | 251-300 | Macau University of Sciences and Technology | 99.9 |
| 2 | 151 | City University of Hong Kong | 99.7 |
| 3 | 251-300 | University of Luxembourg | 99.5 |
| 3 | 301-350 | Università della Svizzera italiana | 99.5 |
| 5 | 201-250 | University of Macau | 99.4 |
| 6 | 301-350 | Qatar University | 99.1 |
| 7 | 30 | University of Hong Kong | 98.8 |
| 7 | 401-500 | University of Sharjah | 98.8 |
| 9 | 401-500 | Hong Kong Baptist University | 98.7 |
| 10 | 401-500 | University of Geneva | 98.6 |
| 11 | 40 | Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne | 98.3 |
| 12 | 127 | Maastricht University | 98.1 |
| 13 | 15 | ETH Zurich | 97.9 |
| 14 | 66 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | 97.8 |
| 15 | 12 | Imperial College | 97.5 |
The 2022 ranking of the best universities in the world: Research
Research is at the heart of the DNA of universities around the world. It is what makes it possible to provide the most up-to-date training possible and sell innovations or work to companies. They also invest heavily in research through doctorates or chairs. EDHEC has also carried out a spin-off with a research laboratory sold for more than $ 200 million.
In terms of research, it is the Anglo-Saxon universities that dominate the ranking. Unsurprisingly, Oxford (99.6), Cambridge (99.5) and Harvard (98.9) form the top three. Schools are closely followed by CalTech (96.9) and Stanford (96.8).
| Academic rank | Rank general classification | Establishment | Academic note |
| 1 | 1 | Oxford | 99.6 |
| 2 | 5 | Cambridge | 99.5 |
| 3 | 2 | Harvard | 98.9 |
| 4 | 2 | CalTech | 96.9 |
| 5 | 4 | Stanford | 96.8 |
| 6 | 8 | UC Berkeley | 96 |
| 6 | 7 | Princeton | 96 |
| 7 | 16 | Tsinghua University | 95.7 |
| 9 | 16 | Peking University | 94.6 |
| 10 | 5 | MIT | 94.4 |
| 11 | 18 | University of Toronto | 93 |
| 11 | 9 | Yale | 93 |
| 13 | 15 | ETH Zurich | 92.4 |
| 14 | 13 | Johns Hopkins University | 90.8 |
| 15 | 10 | The University of Chicago | 90.6 |
The 2022 ranking of the best universities in the world: The top 50
| Rank | School | Score |
| 1 | Oxford | 95.7 |
| 2 | CalTech | 95 |
| 2 | Harvard | 95 |
| 4 | Stanford | 94.9 |
| 5 | Cambridge | 94.6 |
| 5 | MIT | 94.6 |
| 7 | Princeton | 93.6 |
| 8 | UC Berkeley | 92.2 |
| 9 | Yale | 90.8 |
| 10 | The University of Chicago | 89.8 |
| 11 | Columbia | 89.6 |
| 12 | Imperial College | 89.1 |
| 13 | Johns Hopkins University | 88.4 |
| 13 | University of Pennsylvania | 88.4 |
| 15 | ETH Zurich | 88.2 |
| 16 | Peking University | 87.5 |
| 16 | Tsinghua University | 87.5 |
| 18 | University of Toronto | 87.2 |
| 18 | UCL | 87.2 |
| 20 | UCLA | 86.7 |
| 21 | National University of Singapore | 85.2 |
| 22 | Cornell | 85 |
| 23 | Duke | 83.5 |
| 24 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 83.1 |
| 24 | Northwestern University | 83.1 |
| 26 | NYU | 82.4 |
| 27 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 80.8 |
| 28 | Carnegie Mellon | 80.6 |
| 29 | University of Washington | 79.8 |
| 30 | University of Edinburgh | 78.9 |
| 30 | University of Hong Kong | 78.9 |
| 32 | LMU | 78.6 |
| 33 | University of Melbourne | 77.8 |
| 34 | UC San Diego | 77.7 |
| 35 | King’s College | 76 |
| 35 | The University of Tokyo | 76 |
| 37 | Columbia | 75.8 |
| 38 | TUM | 75.6 |
| 39 | Karolinska Institute | 74.3 |
| 40 | Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne | 74.1 |
| 40 | Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) | 74.1 |
| 42 | Heidelberg University | 73.6 |
| 42 | KU Leuven | 73.6 |
| 44 | Mcgill | 73.4 |
| 45 | Georgia Tech | 73.3 |
| 46 | Nanyang Technological University | 73 |
| 47 | University of Texas at Austing | 72.9 |
| 48 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | 72.6 |
| 49 | Chinese University of Hong Kong | 71.3 |
| 50 | University of Manchester | 71.2 |
Find the full ranking on THE website!
The best university in the world
We all want the best for our future and then do everything we can to get the best grades possible. But some things are beyond our control. The options that the university offers us also influence our studies! If we want to be the best students globally, then we have to go to the best university in the world.
However, even if rankings exist, choosing a single university as the best in the world is not always easy. Each university may have its advantages depending on the preferences of the students. So that’s why we have prepared a summary of the top five universities for you to choose from.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1861 and is considered the most selective university in the United States, with a student acceptance rate of only 9%. But don’t give up hope! Maybe one day you can be on the list of Nobel Prize winners who studied at MIT: a total of 78 people.
The university is divided into five schools and one faculty:
- Science school
- Engineering school
- School of Architecture and Planning
- Sloan School of Management
- School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Whitaker Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology
Top universities in the world
One of the other advantages of this university is that it is located near one of the most important cities in the United States: Boston. Many MIT students live there! Do not hesitate to go and settle in this city. It is really good to live there, as Federico’s experience in Boston can attest. So you will be double winners: studying at an amazing university and staying in a great city at the same time.
But you won’t just be studying there! MIT organizes a variety of activities for its students to relax between classes. For example, there is the Science of Chocolate, an activity during which the students prepare delicious chocolates. The Playful Day also takes place at the end of the year, with trampolines, cotton candy, and pens full of goats, pigs, dogs, and chicks that the pupils could hug, caress and feed.
In addition, as students of this university, you will be able to participate in the college league by being part of the MIT Engineers (” MIT Engineers “), which includes teams in baseball, basketball, fencing, swimming, tennis, football, and many more. They almost always have a male team and a female team. In the case of fencing and sailing, they even have mixed teams.
The campus has all the necessary infrastructure to practice these sports. They are more than ready to win and make all MIT students proud of their mascot: the beaver. Why did you choose the beaver? Because he is the engineer of nature!
Top universities in the world
You can find out on their official page if you want to learn more about the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Then, here is a list of training courses in which this university stands out. It is in the top 10 of the best universities in the world in each discipline!
ArchitectureArt and designBiologyBusiness SciencesEconomyPhysics and astronomyComputer scienceCivil engineeringElectrical engineeringChemical engineeringLanguage and Literature (a university specializing in science? Well yes! Its literature department is considered one of the best in the world !) Mathematics.
1. Stanford University
Leland Stanford Junior University, named after its founder’s son, is a private university in Stanford, California. It was founded in 1890 with the motto “The wind of freedom blows.” Stanford has not said its last word on important figures in its history either, as it has 83 Nobel Prize-winning alumni to its credit.
The seven schools of the university are:
- Humanities and other sciences
- Engineering
- Earth Science
- Specialized Master in Education
- Specialized Master in Business
- Law
- Medicine
This university has 20 libraries, 81 residences, and a medical center. In this medical center, there is a pediatric hospital, and they are building one for adults.
Stanford provides its students with a mental health support program. So, whatever their problem, they can go there for help. There are many clubs and support groups that debate issues such as ethnic and religious diversity, mental illness, and support for feminist and LGBT + causes. The university aims to help all students and to make the university community a more open and tolerant place.
Top universities in the world
Of course, we must not forget about sport. Stanford University also has women’s and men’s teams for all types of activities, including golf and volleyball. Its mascot attracts attention because instead of being a small animal, it is a member of the musical group dressed as a tree. This mascot is called Cardinal, just like the university team: Stanford Cardinal. Stanford University may rank the best universities in the world, but the poor tree is in the ranking of the worst mascots of sports teams.
On the Stanford University website, you will be able to see all the courses available, although the ones that make this establishment famous are the following:
- Archeology
- Art and design
- Biology
- Business Sciences
- Communication
- Law
- Economy
- Education
- Physics and astronomy
- Story
- Computer science
- Electrical engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Mathematics
- Medicine
- Psychology
2. Harvard University
Harvard University is a private university located in the same city as MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, a very important city academically. Founded in 1636, it is the oldest university in the United States. Among her alumni, she has 158 Nobel Prize winners and eight presidents of the United States, and 30 heads of state of other countries.
It is made up of eleven schools from one faculty, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Its library network is the largest in the world, with a total of 79 libraries. Its campus is impressive, with plenty of shops and restaurants, so students have everything they need. The campus is worth a visit even if you are not studying at this university. Some people go to visit it when they discover Boston and its surroundings. In addition, this university runs several museums. The admission rate is the second-lowest in the country, and among its students, 23% come from abroad.
Of course, for its students to develop to their full potential, Harvard University is not limited to the intellectual aspect. It also includes more than 450 student organizations of all kinds:
- religious, LGBT + and cultural organizations
- discussion groups
- dance and theater associations
- tutoring service
- summer camp monitors
- adult education program
- aid to refugees
- student newspaper
- journals
- radio and television
- painting, ceramics, sculpture and photography workshops
- orchestral
- jazz and gospel groups
- choirs
Top universities in the world
The university’s sports team is the Harvard Crimson. It has more teams than other universities in the United States: 20 men and 21 women. The mascot is John Harvard. He is about a religious man who made such a generous donation to the university in its early days that it changed its original name, New College and eventually called itself Harvard.
For more information, do not hesitate to consult its official page. Being one of the best universities in the world, Harvard is, of course, distinguished in more than one area but especially in the following disciplines:
- Architecture
- Biology
- Law
- Economy
- Education
- Philosophy
- Physics and astronomy
- Story
- Computer science
- Electrical engineering
- Mathematics
- Medicine
- Psychology
3. Oxford University
The University of Oxford is a private university located in Oxford, England. Its date of creation is not known with certainty, but according to calculations, it would have been founded around the year 1039. It, therefore, makes it the oldest English-language university in the world. It is the only European university to be among the top 5 of the best universities in the world. In addition, she gave birth to 29 Nobel Prize winners and 27 British Prime Ministers. As it is located in Europe, it is one of the main objectives for Erasmus students to go and study at this university, so if you too feel like it, we will explain how to enter the University of Oxford.
Its structure is quite different from that of universities in the United States. It is divided into 40 faculties or “colleges,” each with its internal functioning and activities.
Among the student activities offered at Oxford are the school newspaper and magazines and the club for graduates who don’t want to lose touch, or the club for newcomers who want to make friends. Of course, you don’t need a club to have fun, and you can just as well run your imagination and enjoy the city atmosphere. But if you have no idea, remember that the world’s most prestigious debate group, “Oxford Union,” and the Oxford Student Association are waiting for you.
Top universities in the world
In addition to typical sports teams, the University of Oxford has several very special traditions. For example, they sing the “Mallard Song” for special occasions, take boat trips, and wear a wide range of tunics and costumes during the various ceremonies of the university.
The UK has a long list of important universities, such as Cambridge, Edinburgh, and London. Therefore, if the University of Oxford is in the lead, it means that its most famous degrees will not disappoint you. In any case, you can consult the university’s website for more information:
- Archeology
- Biology
- Business Sciences
- Law
- Economy
- Education
- Philosophy
- Physics and astronomy
- Geography
- Story
- Computer science
- Chemical engineering
- Languages and Literature
- Mathematics
- Medicine
- Psychology
4. California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private university that is often referred to simply as Caltech. It is located in Pasadena, California, and was founded in 1891. 72 Nobel Prize winners have studied there. It started as a work-study school but soon caught the attention of notable scientists, eventually becoming a full-fledged university. In addition, it ranks first among universities in the United States, seeing their students earn their doctorates.
It is divided into six academic divisions, all specializing in science:
- Biology and biological engineering
- Chemistry and chemical engineering
- Engineering and applied sciences
- Geology and earth sciences
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Physics, mathematics and astronomy
Much like the University of Oxford, the California Institute has traditions of its own, though perhaps not as formal as its British rival. One of the most notable features of this university is the jokes. For example, once they covered parts of the famous Hollywood letters so that it could read “Caltech” instead.
Another time, the students went to New York and modified Alamo’s sculpture to look like an object from a Portal video game. But the most famous jokes they made were aimed at MIT, the other famous US Institute of Technology, and therefore its rival in essence. The Massachusetts students don’t sit idly by and always respond with another very elaborate joke, so the war between the two universities never ends.
Top universities in the world
The California Institute of Technology also has several annual traditions. For example, they throw pumpkins from the Millikan library on Halloween. They also put on Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries as loud as possible at 7 am every morning of final exam week.
Caltech sports teams share their mascot with MIT. Indeed, as the two universities are specialized in engineering, they both have the beaver, the engineer of nature, as a mascot. The Caltech teams are also known as “Les Castors.”
This university specializes in natural sciences and engineering and therefore does not stand out in many disciplines. Despite everything, it is in the top 10 of the best universities in the world in which to study these disciplines, and you can check the rest on their website.
- Biology
- Physics and astronomy
- Chemical engineering
The best European universities
As you can see from the world ranking, universities in the United States are the most prestigious in the world. But they are not the only ones. In Europe, the UK is leading the way. In addition to the very famous University of Oxford, there is also University College London and Imperial College London and the universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Manchester.
Moreover, it is not just good universities in the UK. The European universities in the ranking are the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, both located in Switzerland. And do not think that the ranking stops there because there are a total of 1000 establishments from all over the world in the complete ranking. You will surely find the right fit for you!
After row 25 are the European universities of Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. Moreover, if you want to go to study in Spain, I assure you that you will not regret it. There are, for example, the University of Barcelona, the Complutense University of Madrid, and the University of Granada, which are well placed on the list. And these are not the only universities you can find in Spain. The best universities in Madrid and the best universities in Barcelona also have some very interesting options that you should consider.
Of course, the training you want to take will depend on your choice. It is why if the universities we have mentioned are not to your liking, other establishments are also considered the best in the world.
The best technological universities in the world
You have seen for yourselves that if science is what you love, you will find what you are looking for among the top five universities in the world. But we must not forget the other universities. Take a look at other establishments that stand out in the scientific and technical fields.
The best chemists come from the University of California-Berkeley, the National University of Singapore, Imperial College London, and Kyoto University. If you want to study civil engineering, it is better to go to the National University of Singapore, Delft University of Technology, University of Tokyo, and Imperial College London. Carnegie-Mello University, Zurich Polytechnic, and Princeton University are the best in computing. In electrical engineering, these are the University of California at Berkeley and Los Angeles, the Singapore University of Technology, and the Zurich Polytechnic.
The best universities to study medicine are Cambridge University, John Hopkins University, and San Francisco University, among others. If you prefer animals, the best establishments to study veterinary medicine are the Royal Veterinary College in London, Cornell University, Utrecht University, and Cambridge University. The latter also stands out in psychology and biology, with the University of California at Los Angeles and Berkeley and Yale University.
In other disciplines such as mathematics, physics, or geography, the universities that stand out are those of Cambridge, California at Berkeley, Tokyo, Toronto, Zurich, and Princeton.
What is the best law university in the world?
Law is one of the most popular disciplines, and that is why the universities that teach it are often highly ranked. Suppose you’ve seen any of the most well-known films on-campus life (I’m referring to ‘ Revenge of a Blonde’). In that case, you already know that the most prestigious establishment for all future lawyers is Harvard University. But don’t worry, if you’re not Elle Woods and can’t study there, there are other equally acceptable possibilities: Cambridge University, Yale University, and New York University. are at the top of the ranking.
These universities are also the best for studying history, adding the London School of Economics, Princeton University, Chicago University, and Columbia University. If you prefer philosophy, there are the universities of Pittsburgh, Rutgers, and New York. The University of Barcelona is also a very good possibility for this area.
The best universities for architecture are the University of California at Berkeley, Zurich Polytechnic, Manchester School of Architecture, and the Delft University of Technology. The Royal Academy of Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, Parsons Paris School of Design, and London University of the Arts specializing in art and design. In the field of archeology, there is University College London and the University of California at Berkeley.
Top universities in the world
The best universities in the field of education are University College London, Cambridge University, and Hong Kong University. Check out the London School of Economics, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and the University of Texas for journalism. As far as tourism is concerned, the most important is the University of Nevada, Surrey, and the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
Go to the University of California at Berkeley, Princeton University, and the London School of Economics to study economics. Finally, suppose you want to work in the business world. In that case, you will find your place at the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD) in France, at the London Business School, at the University of Pennsylvania, or Bocconi University in Italy.
I hope that with so many possibilities, you will be able to find the perfect fit for a unique experience.
Top universities in the world