When thinking about the best institutions of higher education, visions of the Ivy League seem to dominate the imagination. But in a global age, how do these schools stack up vis-a-vis their international presence. For 2015, Times Higher Education has compiled a list of “The 100 most international universities in the world”. A subset of the overall World University Rankings, this list ranks universities from an “international outlook” perspective.
With a vast number of schools to choose from, THE utilizes three key factors: The institution’s percentage of international staff; the number of international students attending the school; and the proportion of its research papers co-published with international authors. From these variables, an overall international outlook score is calculated from a possible 100 points.
Topping the list are three Swiss institutions, with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne retaining the number one ranking form 2014. Impressively hosting over half it’s student body from foreign countries, its strong research pedigree draws a significant international population. Followed closely in the top ten are institutions ranging from Singapore, England and France, as well as Australia. Not surprisingly, each of these universities boasts international outlook scores greater than 90. Additionally, the majority of these schools maintained the same or similar rankings from years past, indicating a trend of steady international growth.
Dominating the list, with over a third of all institutions in the ranking, England displays a large international presence. With ranked universities ranging from the University of Nottingham with a world ranking of 100, to the prestigious University of Oxford, ranking number five, British institutions show consistent commitment to international participation. Hosting students from more than 120 countries, the highly ranked Imperial College London illustrates the truly global nature of modern education.
With such a dominance of European schools, the question must be asked: why is there so little U.S. representation. Although many American schools, such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are consistently ranked among the top in the world, they don’t even break the top 100 from an international standpoint. Given that some of the schools ranking highly internationally do not place competitively overall, it is necessary to examine the impact of all the relevant factors. An answer to this question can be partly explained by the geography of many schools on the list.
Situated amongst the EU nations, schools in England and Switzerland, count students from neighboring European states in their international attendance. Royal Holloway, University of London, ranking number six on the list, has only just 20% of students from outside the European Union. With immigration such an accessible option for many students and professors, as opposed to the trans-oceanic voyage many U.S.-bound student would make, the origin of this British prevalence becomes more transparent.
This phenomenon can also be seen in Australian institutions as well as Singaporean schools. With such an increasingly mobile population, these south pacific schools find substantial international enrollment from nearby countries. However, all these schools, whether European, Asian, Australian, or American, have undoubtedly shown a commitment to global inclusiveness, concentrating on cultivating their international position. By actively promoting a worldwide approach to education, shared research and knowledge is able to transcend physical borders. With an increasingly prevalent culture of international cooperation and collaboration, it becomes apparent that today’s universities are focusing outward to expand the education front. Regions such as the EU and the south pacific, most notably Australia and Singapore, have become bastions for international education and research. A growing population, introducing more and more students to the opportunities of a global education, can only prove beneficial if schools continue the trend of foreign reception.
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The 100 Most International Universities in the World
February 26, 2015
When thinking about the best institutions of higher education, visions of the Ivy League seem to dominate the imagination. But in a global age, how do these schools stack up vis-a-vis their international presence. For 2015, Times Higher Education has compiled a list of “The 100 most international universities in the world”. A subset of the overall World University Rankings, this list ranks universities from an “international outlook” perspective.
With a vast number of schools to choose from, THE utilizes three key factors: The institution’s percentage of international staff; the number of international students attending the school; and the proportion of its research papers co-published with international authors. From these variables, an overall international outlook score is calculated from a possible 100 points.
Topping the list are three Swiss institutions, with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne retaining the number one ranking form 2014. Impressively hosting over half it’s student body from foreign countries, its strong research pedigree draws a significant international population. Followed closely in the top ten are institutions ranging from Singapore, England and France, as well as Australia. Not surprisingly, each of these universities boasts international outlook scores greater than 90. Additionally, the majority of these schools maintained the same or similar rankings from years past, indicating a trend of steady international growth.
Dominating the list, with over a third of all institutions in the ranking, England displays a large international presence. With ranked universities ranging from the University of Nottingham with a world ranking of 100, to the prestigious University of Oxford, ranking number five, British institutions show consistent commitment to international participation. Hosting students from more than 120 countries, the highly ranked Imperial College London illustrates the truly global nature of modern education.
With such a dominance of European schools, the question must be asked: why is there so little U.S. representation. Although many American schools, such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are consistently ranked among the top in the world, they don’t even break the top 100 from an international standpoint. Given that some of the schools ranking highly internationally do not place competitively overall, it is necessary to examine the impact of all the relevant factors. An answer to this question can be partly explained by the geography of many schools on the list.
Situated amongst the EU nations, schools in England and Switzerland, count students from neighboring European states in their international attendance. Royal Holloway, University of London, ranking number six on the list, has only just 20% of students from outside the European Union. With immigration such an accessible option for many students and professors, as opposed to the trans-oceanic voyage many U.S.-bound student would make, the origin of this British prevalence becomes more transparent.
This phenomenon can also be seen in Australian institutions as well as Singaporean schools. With such an increasingly mobile population, these south pacific schools find substantial international enrollment from nearby countries. However, all these schools, whether European, Asian, Australian, or American, have undoubtedly shown a commitment to global inclusiveness, concentrating on cultivating their international position. By actively promoting a worldwide approach to education, shared research and knowledge is able to transcend physical borders. With an increasingly prevalent culture of international cooperation and collaboration, it becomes apparent that today’s universities are focusing outward to expand the education front. Regions such as the EU and the south pacific, most notably Australia and Singapore, have become bastions for international education and research. A growing population, introducing more and more students to the opportunities of a global education, can only prove beneficial if schools continue the trend of foreign reception.
