Leiden second highest Dutch University in Shanghai ranking

Leiden University, in 73rd position, is the second highest ranked Dutch university in the Shanghai Ranking. This ranking contains the world's 500 best universities.

Top 100

In line with tradition, Leiden University is among the top 100 universities in the ranking, known officially as the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).  Utrecht University (53) is the only other Dutch university to make the top 100. Within Europe, Leiden shares 20th position.  

Main criteria

The researchers in Shanghai study more 1000 universities every year, including the best 500 in the ranking. Among the main criteria are the number of times that staff at a university publish in academic journals such as Nature and Science and the number of awards, such as Nobel prizes and Fields Medals (a kind of Nobel Prize for maths) received by staff and graduates.

Harvard in top position

Harvard University in the US heads the list, as it usually does. Cambridge, in fifth position, is the highest European university. The highest scoring university in Asia is Tokyo University in 20th position.

(15 August 2012)