Yet another high position in the third global rankings of this year

After ranking 9th in the QS World University Rankings and 20th in the Shanghai Rankings, ETH Zurich also achieved a top place in this year’s third external page list of the world’s best universities published by the Times Higher Education (THE). It moved up four positions to take 11th place – together with Columbia University. This makes it not only the best ranked university in Switzerland in the THE rankings, but also in the whole of continental Europe.

In its rankings, THE takes into account the areas of research, teaching, citations, international outlook and collaboration with industry. ETH Zurich achieved its highest ranking in the area of research, where it moved up three places to 10th position. In the other areas, ETH Zurich remained fairly stable, taking top positions in teaching (17th place) and international outlook (14th place).

“The latest THE rankings underline once again how ETH is on an equal footing with the world’s best universities,” commented Paul Cross, from ETH Zurich’s Institutional Research. The year-on-year improvement needed to be put in context, however. “The differences between the top institutions are so minor that even nuances can lead to shifts in rankings. We should bear in mind that rankings are just one perspective and significantly simplify the complex nature and impact of universities on society.”

As in previous years, UK and US universities occupy the top places. “It is tremendous that a Swiss university can hold its own against this global competition year in, year out, but it cannot be taken for granted,” commented ETH President Joël Mesot. “Swiss universities have been strong by virtue of the right conditions and infrastructure provided by the federal government in the past. Our international collaboration, especially with our European partners, plays a key role in our success.”