Skip to main content

THE Ranking: Potsdam Ranks First among Young Universities in Germany / 28th Worldwide

The University of Potsdam solidifies its position in the top 30 of young universities worldwide.  It once again earned a spot at the top of the Times Higher Education Ranking, or THE ranking, of universities that are no more than 50 years old. Out of 539 ranked institutions of higher education from 74 countries, it currently occupies the 28th place. In Germany, the University of Potsdam, founded in 1991, even takes the top spot ahead of the universities of Duisburg-Essen, Passau, and Bayreuth. It is roughly on par with Aalto University in Finland on the international level.

“The fact that we have once again been able to achieve such a high ranking among the world’s ‘young’ universities – that is, universities founded no more than 50 years ago – and are the first in Germany, serves to emphasize our competitiveness and international standing,” said the President of the University of Potsdam, Prof. Oliver Günther, Ph.D. For the University of Potsdam, its involvement in Europe and the rest of the world was becoming increasingly important, Günther added. “On the one hand, we have a close network in our European University Alliance EDUC, and on the other hand, there are these major global topics to which we want and need to contribute with even more intensity in the future with our core competences, for example in environmental and climate sciences, together with our partners around the world.”

THE rankings, along with the Academic World University Ranking (AWUR) and the QS World University Ranking, are among the most important university rankings worldwide. In addition, THE has been publishing the “Young University Ranking” since 2012 in order to adequately present the mission and performance of young up-and-coming universities in an international comparison. Just like the big international ranking, the THE ranking of young universities also evaluates a total of five criteria – teaching, research, citations, knowledge transfer, and international outlook. However, the reputation factor, which usually benefits long-established academic institutions with their often centuries-long tradition, is of less importance in the “young” universities ranking. The University of Potsdam has been actively participating in THE rankings since 2017 and has been highly successful among the young universities ever since, which underlines the attractiveness of the Potsdam alma mater on an international level.

Link to the website: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2022/young-university-rankings

Contact: Dr. Silke Brodersen, International Office
Phone: +49 331 977-124436
E-mail: silke.brodersenuni-potsdamde

Media information 15-02-2022 / No. 015