Harvard, Stanford and MIT, the top three universities in the world

American universities, led by Harvard University, once again topped the Shanghai rankings published on Thursday, as Paris-Saclay ranks 12th as the top higher education institution in Europe continental.

In first place for For the 22nd year in a row Harvard is followed by two other American universities, Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in this global ranking of the best higher education centers, which has been compiled since 2003 by the independent consulting firm Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.

Ranked in the top 20 since 2020, Paris-Saclay University has risen three places in the 2024 edition. “Never before has a French university been ranked so highly.” French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated himself on social media

In addition to Paris-Saclay, three other French institutions ranked in the top 100 have made significant progress compared to 2023: Paris University of Sciences and Letters (33; +8 places), Sorbonne University (41; +5 places)) and the University of the City of Paris (60th; +9 positions). “This is a confirmation of the success of the new French university models and the impact of the funding of the Research Programming Act and France 2030, a large-scale investment plan announced three years ago,” the French Head of State said in his message.

Highly critical rating

Since its establishment in 2003, the Shanghai Ranking takes into account six criteria. First and foremost, the number of Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals – the highest distinction in mathematics – The number of publications by researchers affiliated with the institution in Science and Nature journals, and the number of highly cited researchers in their field, are another indicator. This ranking therefore favors research over training, which regularly raises criticism.