The new international universities’ ranking 2017 – 2018 QS World University Rankings revealed a new landmark for Lithuanian higher education – two Lithuanian universities made a significant progress in climbing up the ranking ladder and now are among the top 2,1% of the best universities in the world. 

 

In the new ranking, Vilnius University (VU) ranks the highest among the Lithuanian universities and stands at 401-410 place (481-490 last year); while Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) made the highest progress in Lithuania and now is the second best Lithuanian university in the rankings. This year VGTU ranks at 551-600 place (last year in 701+ category). KTU and VMU also have been ranked and are in 701-750 and 801-1000 places respectively (last year both universities have been in 701+ category).

 

“Only four Lithuanian universities are ranked in this international QS Ranking, and two of them continuously demonstrate better results. The fact is that the number of higher education institutions considered for this ranking is increasing; thus, making a 100-150 step leap forward is a very big achievement. Now, VU and VGTU have secured their places among the top 2,1% of the best universities in the world. According to the universities’ network optimisation plan prepared by the Government of the Lithuanian Republic, two Lithuanian universities should be among the top 500 by 2021. This year’s results prove that this plan is achievable and that Lithuanian higher education institutions are actively and consistently working on it. Support from the government and higher education reform are crucial in reaching that goal and could lead to even higher results in the rankings,” sais VGTU’s Rector Alfonsas Daniūnas. 

 

The top three of the ranking remain the same as last year: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and Harvard University.

 

Universities have been ranked according to the following indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, student to faculty ratio, international faculty and international students. 

 

QS World University Rankings is the biggest independent world university ranking. This year only 1000 from 26 000 universities in the world have been ranked. The team at QS have analysed over 75 million citations from more than 12 million papers, 115,000 survey responses from employers and academics and considered more than 4,000 universities before evaluating 980 of them.