The Research and Internationality of the University of Turku Rated as Excellent in University Ranking
A European university ranking placed the University on the highest level in research publications and internationalisation.
U-Multirank is a university ranking which can be used to compare different universities worldwide. It was established in 2014 with seed funding from the European Union. The purpose of the ranking, which was published for the second time, is to describe the achievements of the students and the universities in different sectors.
The comparison is based on five dimensions: research, teaching and learning, international orientation, knowledge transfer (e.g. partnerships with companies), and regional engagement.
The University of Turku fared well in the ranking and is in the top Very Good category in several sectors. The result is similar to that of the 2014 ranking.
– The U-Multirank results are a very pleasant read. Internationality, which has previously been our weakness, seems to be improving fast. Creating international research and education collaboration will remain as one of our most central areas of development in the future as well, says Rector Kalervo Väänänen.
High Level of Internationality among Students, Staff and Publications
The University achieved the highest level, for example, in the number of research publications and international joint publications. The University is also in the top category in the post-doc positions and international academic staff, as well as in the students' international mobility.
Furthermore, the University received recognition in the sectors for external research income, income from private sources and income from continuous professional development. According to the ranking, the University's areas of development lie in the international doctoral programmes and the students' graduation on time, among other things.
In addition to the university-level evaluation, Psychology, licentiate degree programme in medicine and the Department of Information Technology were also assessed. The fields succeeded relatively well in the ranking.
The Goal Is to Improve the Quality of the Higher Education Institutions
U-Multirank was developed on the basis that there is a need in the EU to improve the quality and versatility of the European higher education institutions and highlight the positive sides of academic education from all over Europe. This year, the ranking included over 1,200 universities.
The list is compiled by an independent consortium led by the Centre for Higher Education (CHE) in Germany and the Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) in the Netherlands.
The purpose of the ranking is also to help students in picking a university that suits them best. On the U-Multiranking web pages, you can make comparisons and explore the strengths of different universities.
Text: Jenni Valta
Photo: Hanna Oksanen
Translation: Mari Ratia