Tartu makes the grade

TARTU - The University of Tartu has made it onto the list of the world’s 200 best universities as ranked by consulting firm Quacquarelli Symonds, reports LETA. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2013, published by the international consultation firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) this month, the University of Tartu is represented in two subjects for the first time, ranking between 51 and 100 in communication and media studies, and between 151 and 200 in modern languages.

“This is a great recognition for the work of the researchers and teachers at the University of Tartu, showing the international competitiveness of our alma mater in comparison with other universities from all over the world,” the Vice Rector for Research at the University of Tartu Marco Kirm gladly noted, adding: “This is certain to bring about a heightened interest among foreign students as well as teachers and researchers in acquiring a top-level higher education or advancing their scientific career in Tartu. I also hope that this will encourage high school graduates to decide to pursue further studies at the University of Tartu.”

QS, who is responsible for compiling the prestigious list of top universities QS World University Rankings, has undertaken to also rank universities by individual subjects.
The list QS World University Rankings by Subject, which was first published in 2011, is an extension of the overall chart of universities. According to QS’s Web site, their purpose is to make comparable information on the strengths of different universities at the level of individual subjects available to the public.

QS considers three indicators upon compiling the lists: the reputation of the university among the researchers and employers in the respective field, and the citation index of the publications (the Scopus database is used as a source). Data from nearly 2,600 of the world’s universities were analyzed for compiling the 2013 issue of the chart.

In addition to subject charts and the overall ranking of universities, QS has also been ranking the world’s universities by their academic reputation in five scientific fields since 2007. Field rankings are based on a poll conducted among the researchers in the respective field; the 400 best are listed in each field. The highest ranking of the University of Tartu thus far was awarded in 2010 in the field of life sciences and medicine (301 to 350). From 2011, the University of Tartu has been number 381 in the same field; in 2012 it also ranked number 381 in the humanities.

The University of Tartu is among the top three percent of the world’s most prestigious universities (Times Higher Education) and among the top one percent of the most-cited scientific institutions (ESI).