With the highest number of 5,663 participating institutions and 1,503 ranked institutions from 106 countries, the QS World University Rankings was published for the twenty-first time. This year’s ranking in tough competition was driven mostly by an increase in the number of points awarded in three indicators. The Sustainability indicator (with the score of 79.1) sees MU as the best-ranked Czech university, and 161st overall, which translates into a jump by 46 places. This indicator reflects the ranking of the institution in the self-contained QS Sustainability Rankings published in December 2023.
MU managed to reach the TOP 300 globally in terms of the International Students indicator and the Employer Reputation indicator, placing 223rd and 298th respectively. The International Research Network indicator is yet another strong one for MU, with the ranking score of 80.2 and 318th place globally. The extent of international cooperation is ranked on the basis of bibliometric data from the Scopus database. It encompasses the ratio of publications published in cooperation with authors from foreign institutions, as well as the number of partner countries taking part in research alongside MU.
“Last year it was a historical achievement for Masaryk University with 400th place, an improvement by more than 150 places. This year’s 408th place confirms that it was not a coincidence. Sustainability, in the broadest sense of the word, and the international element in science and teaching are among our long-term priorities. I am glad it has been acknowledged within this prestigious global rating. I am even happier about the improving indicators reflecting the quality and future of our alumni. There is no better acknowledgement than the increasing reputation of a university among employers,” says MU Rector Martin Bareš.
The best year-on-year improvement can be found in the Employment Outcomes indicator, from 575th place last year to this year’s 352nd place (score of 36). This indicator is calculated based on two parameters: the declared success rate of the alumni in job search (which MU determines from questionnaires sent out to the alumni), and the quantity of the alumni enjoying significant impact and influence on the society. This year QS has used a much wider spectrum of resources used to collect the data for the purpose of this indicator. It is based on the recipients of international awards or leading representatives of prestigious companies and international non-profit organisations.
As for Czech universities, MU was most successful with respect to the Sustainability indicator as well as the Citations per Faculty indicator (with 656th place globally). MU placed second (only losing to Charles University) in the Academic Reputation indicator (376th globally) and the aforementioned Employment Outcomes indicator. The International Faculty (513rd overall) indicator and the Faculty Student Ratio (shared ranking 701+ overall) indicator complete the list.
Overall, 16 Czech universities can be found in the ranking, just like in 2023. Charles University placed 246th, Czech Technical University in Prague is close behind MU at 420th place; University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague is fourth at 570th place. Globally, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was the proverbial defending champion, with Imperial College London in second place (6th in 2023), and with no change in third place with the University of Oxford. Last year’s “silver medallist”, the University of Cambridge, finished fifth this year.