In the current QS World University Ranking 2021, Bavarian universities have confirmed their good reputation in the international science scene. The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is ranked 50th, making it the best university within the European Union, while the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) makes it to 63rd place in the international comparison. Würzburg and Erlangen-Nuremberg are among the TOP 250, and the University of Regensburg is among the TOP 400.
Bavaria-wide, TUM and LMU again made it into the TOP 25 and 50, respectively, in several subject groups and subjects in this year's edition of the QS Subject Rankings: With 29th place in "Engineering and Technology" and 31st place in the natural sciences, TUM is in the top spot among all German universities in two of five subject groups. In three subject groups, LMU is among the best 50 of the more than 1,440 universities from 85 countries evaluated worldwide. With the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in the field of life sciences and medicine and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in the field of natural sciences, two more Bavarian universities are in the TOP 250 of a subject group. The University of Regensburg was able to rank among the TOP 400 worldwide in the fields of life sciences and medicine as well as natural sciences.
In individual subjects, the two universities of excellence LMU and TUM are also represented in the group of top-ranked universities worldwide. LMU made it into the TOP 50 in 16 subjects, five of which were in the TOP 25. TUM recorded nine places in the TOP 50, three of which were in the TOP 25. In the subject of ancient history, LMU is among the absolute world leaders, ranking eighth.
According to the QS Ranking, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the best university in an international comparison for the ninth time in a row. Stanford follows in second place and Harvard in third. As the best European universities, Oxford reaches fifth place, ETH Zurich sixth and Cambridge seventh.
Overall, it can be observed that the number of Chinese and Russian universities with top rankings has increased noticeably. Germany ranks fifth in the overarching country comparison of the subject rankings, behind the USA, Great Britain, China and Australia.
The QS ranking is one of the most respected rankings worldwide. The British personnel service provider Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) surveys scientists and companies to compile the ranking. It also examines how often the researchers' scientific publications are cited. Based on this data, universities are ranked. In total, this year's QS subject ranking covers more than 1,440 universities and 51 disciplines. It is designed to help future students identify the leading universities.