In the latest QS World University Rankings 2022, Vilnius University (VU) took a record high position and for the first time, ranked 400th in this ranking.
This is also the highest rating ever achieved by Lithuanian universities in the global ranking of QS universities; therefore, this position is significant not only for the history of higher education at VU but also for the whole of Lithuanian higher education.
“Being among the 400 best universities in the world is a significant achievement for all Lithuanian higher education, testifying to the fact that our country has all the prerequisites for the highest level of international science and studies. I am certain that we are strong enough to establish ourselves among the best universities in the world and to adhere to the highest standards as they are understood in the international scientific community. However, this requires constant constructive dialogue with the public authorities so that the funding of science and studies allows for the planning of a long-term perspective. We prove that we can achieve and exceed the set goals, the state must prove that it considers education a priority,” VU Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas said.
VU has been ranked in the global QS rankings among more than one and a half thousand other higher education institutions for almost a decade, and this time has risen by more than 200 positions in total. First evaluated in 2014, VU ranked 601-650. Currently, being in the 400th position, VU represents Lithuania by shaping high scientific standards, which increasingly contribute to attracting international researchers and becomes a serious competitor to prestigious European universities.
“We are proud of the academic community of Vilnius University. Its efforts strengthen not only the global image of the university but also the image of the city. This time, by being among the top 400, VU has once again proved that it has the energy to grow and create breakthrough ideas,” Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius said.
This year, VU ranked especially high - 135 position - in terms of teaching quality. According to the criterion of academic reputation, rising by 27 positions compared to last year, this year VU ranks 400th, and 434th in terms of employee evaluation.
When compiling QS world university rankings, higher education institutions are evaluated according to a total of six criteria: Academic Reputation, rating of the best institutions in terms of research, Employer Reputation, rating of the best professional training institutions, Citations per Faculty, the ratio of the number of students and lecturers in the departments (Faculty Student), the share of foreign lecturers (International Faculty) and the number of foreign students (International Students).