Masaryk University scored highly in sustainability and some other newly-included indicators. Photo credit: KB / BD.
Brno, June 30 (BD) – Masaryk University has achieved a historic success. For the first time in its history, it has been ranked among the 400 best universities in the world in the prestigious international QS World University Rankings.
Masaryk University is continuously improving in global rankings. Last year, the university was ranked among the best 500 universities in the world for the first time in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking. Now it has achieved another historic breakthrough, ranking 400th in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings, a jump of over 150 places year-on-year.
“It’s a huge achievement and I can honestly say that I’m proud and moved at the same time,” said Rector Martin Bareš. “We have always wanted to get into at least the top 500 best universities on the planet. We have been trying to do this for many years. So being placed even among the 400 best universities in the world is a great wish come true. I would like to thank the entire Masaryk University for this extraordinary success. It turns out that the long-term and systematic work that I am trying to promote throughout my term of office with an emphasis on quality, cooperation and internationalisation is bringing results.”
1,499 institutions were included in the QS World University Rankings this year, 77 more than last year. The set of indicators monitored was also expanded, to include new areas such as the international research network, sustainability and employability. Masaryk University scored well in these categories. It ranks 276th in the international research network, which recognizes its long-term trend in publishing; the share of scientific publications created at Masaryk University in cooperation with foreign workplaces is continuously growing.
In the sustainability category, the university ranked 207th. This new indicator includes an evaluation of the university’s scientific contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the anchoring of the issue of sustainability in the MU Strategic Plan, the activity of the MUNI HELPS Volunteer Center, the principles of sustainability applied when awarding public contracts, the existence of ethics commissions, the activity of student associations dealing with socially responsible topics, representation of students in university bodies, teaching of environmental topics, and consumption of energy and water.
“The topic of sustainability has resonated on our soil for many years. It is one of the priority topics for us, grasped cross-sectionally across our strategy, and therefore its systematic solution will also be strengthened in terms of personnel from September. The new vice-rector will have the area of sustainability explicitly included in their portfolio,” added Bareš, who defended his mandate in the rector’s election in April and will remain at the head of Masaryk University for the next four years.
In the traditional indicators of the ranking, Masaryk University also achieved an excellent result in the area of the share of foreign students, ranking 215th. The best year-on-year improvement among the traditionally monitored parameters was achieved in the category of reputation among employers, based on the responses of tens of thousands of employers around the world. Here, Masaryk University improved by 65 places compared to last year, up to 305th in the world.
“Sometimes I hear that our university is demanding. Yes it is. But at the same time, it is an open and friendly institution whose highest mission is to provide quality education, which should ultimately bring a competitive advantage and good employability to our graduates. And I believe that these results only confirm this,” added Bareš.
