Exeter retains position amongst world’s best universities in influential ranking

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2019, published on Thursday August 15, has seen the University retain its place amongst the top 200 ranked global institutions.

For the fifth consecutive year, Exeter has been ranked in the 151-200 category worldwide. Within the UK, the rankings placed Exeter between 17th and 21st, comparable to the past two years.

The rankings, first published in 2003, are based on six academic and research-based measures, including the number of articles published in leading journals Nature and Science, and the number of highly cited researchers. More than 1200 universities are ranked by ARWU each year, with the top 1,000 results published.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Exeter, said: “I am delighted that this ranking has once again recognised the impact that Exeter is making on the global stage through its world-leading research  It provides a clear indication of the pivotal and innovative work that is being carried out across the University by our world-leading academic staff.”

The ARWU 2019 rankings are the latest success for Exeter on the national and international stage.

The University is ranked 24^th in the world, ninth in Europe, and sixth in the UK, in the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2019, which offers key insights into the scientific performance of  major universities worldwide. Exeter’s rankings are based on the percentage of publications ranked in the top 10% most cited, indicating that the University’s high-quality research has been referenced by other academics in major journals.

Exeter recently also secured 10^th position in the influential Guardian University Guide 2020, while subjects across the sciences and humanities were also recognised as being among the very best in the country, with 37 subjects ranked in the top 20 -  including 27 in the top ten - in the latest Complete University Guide 2020.