The Times Higher Education Rankings (THE) are among the most important league tables for universities all over the world. It examines and compares the performance of universities in the areas of teaching, research, citations, international orientation and industry income.
A total of 1,396 universities worldwide took part in the ranking this year. Coming in at 26th place in the Germany-wide comparison, the comparatively young University of Passau has found its place among world-leading and time-honoured universities. LMU Munich, TU Munich and the University of Heidelberg take the first three places in Germany respectively.
The University's President, Professor Carola Jungwirth, said: 'I think we can all be proud of this excellent result, which marks a further improvement on the last THE Ranking. It clearly shows that we, the members of the university, are on the right track: we provide excellent conditions and opportunities for learning and research to our students and researchers at Passau. This makes us an established player in the international competition for the best minds – among students, academics and staff.'
The ranking is based on five weighted areas with a total of 13 different indicators. The core areas of a university – teaching, research and citations – are weighted at 30 percent each. International outlook and knowledge transfer respectively carry a weight of 7.5 percent and 2.5 percent. Some of the data, such as indicators on the student body, staff figures and financial resources, are reported by the participating universities themselves, while others are obtained from academic databases and THE-conducted surveys among international academics.
In this year's ranking, the University has improved in almost all areas – with one exception. In teaching, the worldwide ranking rose by 28 places to the new rank of 368. This is thanks to the increase in international visibility and recognition for our teaching output, which is reflected in the results of the reputation survey. In research, the University also made strong headway, rising 23 places to 218th place. Aside from its worldwide reputation, the university's research income and research productivity are decisive factors in this area. In terms of international outlook, the University of Passau is in 396th place. Due to an increase in external funds from industrial and commercial partners, which is reflected in the THE ranking as an increase in knowledge and technology transfer, the University of Passau now ranks 384th in this area, having risen 40 places.
In citations, the University of Passau has lost 162 places. This is due to the fact that a number of professors with strong research credentials and numerous citations have left Passau to take up appointments at other universities; naturally, their achievements are therefore not counted towards the University of Passau. Overall, the University of Passau stands at 289th place in the 2020 ranking.
University President Carola Jungwirth said: 'This great ranking result is an expression of our joint efforts in recent years. We have measurably increased our results, particularly in the areas of teaching and research. These increases show that we have international impact, we are visible and steadily increasing our global standing. All academic disciplines represented at the University, each with their own research methods and self-image, have joined together to achieve this tremendous result. It also proves that, as a young university, we have the necessary flexibility and innovative strength to continue along this successful path and to bring about excellent performance.'