Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) - Shanghai Ranking 2023

Academic reputation is one factor that many international students look at when deciding which university they would like to apply for and enroll in its undergraduate or graduate studies. There are several world university rankings or world academic rankings but examining the methodology of each is necessary to distinguish the significance and draw correct comparisons.

One of these is the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). An annual publication for ranking of global universities drafted by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, which is an independent organisation engaged in research on higher education intelligence and consultation.

The first Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) was published in June 2003 by the Center for World-Class Universities (CWCU), and Graduate School of Education (formerly the Institute of Higher Education) of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. However, since 2009, the ARWU rankings have been published and copyrighted by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.

This annual publication of world university rankings is based on five objective indicators:

• The number of alumni and staff who accomplish Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals

• The number of well-voiced researchers selected by Clarivate Analytics

• The number of articles issued in journals of Nature and Science

• The number of articles tabulated in Science Citation Index i.e., Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index

• Per capita performance of the institution

Based on each indicator, the highest-scoring education institution is assigned with a score of 100, whereas other education institutions are calculated as a percentage of the highest score. While ARWU publishes the top 500 global universities every year based on objective indicators and third-party data, it published a list of best 1,000 global universities in 2020. ARWU ranks 2000 universities to publish the top 1,000.

It is said that one primary reason for the significant influence of the ARWU rankings is that it uses a methodology which is scientifically sound, stable, and transparent.

Harvard University is the No.1 university in ARWU rankings 2023. As a research university and nonprofit institution in the United States, Harvard is focused on creating educational opportunities for people from various backgrounds. It resembles a diverse institution that promotes an inclusive culture and establishes a profound sense of belonging for each member of its community.

The table below shows the top 20 universities in the ARWU rankings 2023. Except for the University of Cambridge (UK), The University of Oxford (UK), the University of College London (UK), ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and the Paris-Saclay University (France), the rest of the top 20 universities in the ARWU rankings are from the USA.

Check out all information about these universities & full programs.

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