Publication date: 18/08/15
ThemesNews
The University of Strasbourg achieved 87th place in the 2015 Shanghai Ranking, moving up 8 positions since last year. It is the only French university outside Paris to be included in the top 100. Unistra’s chemists were ranked 19th, biologists between 51st and 75th and physicists between 76th and 100th.
Although the ranking criteria have been criticised by the university community, it is still a gratifying result. “This ranking reflects, though inaccurately, the quality of our research and the commitment of all people involved, and increases our international exposure”, Alain Beretz stated. The President of the University of Strasbourg underlined the “relative reliability” of the Shanghai Ranking which doesn’t take into account Social Sciences and Humanities research, degree programmes nor cultural activities.
“Fortunately, the recognition of the University of Strasbourg’s high quality research among our peers does not depend on this ranking”, the President pointed out, “as shown by our three Nobel Prizes, our LERU chairmanship and by the many events Unistra hosted this year, such as the European Research Council, the Conference of University Presidents and several international symposia.”
“Working at the University and for the University is not a matter of ranking”, he added, “It is about ensuring our students’ success, helping them further their knowledge as much as possible, and committing to a selfless research aimed at society.”
The Shanghai Ranking, or ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities) is the top 500 world university rankings conducted by CWCU of Shanghai Jiao Tong University .
