High KTH scores in European ranking
Chemistry and math at KTH both receive high subject area scores as CHE, the Centre for Higher Education Development at Gütersloh, Germany, does its annual ranking of European universities. This effort aims to help students select the best doctoral and master programmes for themselves in Europe.
CHE just produced its ”Ranking of Excellent European Graduate Programmes” in four subject areas: biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. The order of excellence given to each seat of learning was based on four factors – its number of publications issued, the number of quotations from and references made to these elsewhere, the number of frequently quoted scientists from each seat, and the number of participations in the EU Marie Curie Programme.
Out of the total of five Swedish universities that qualified for the ”Excellence Group”, KTH was awarded gold and silver medals in math and chemistry in the categories of Publications, Quotations, and Marie Curie projects.
Stockholm University was awarded three or more silver medals in chemistry, biology and math. Also, Stockholm University, together with Karolinska Institute, were specially recognised in biology, as they received medals in every one of its categories.
Apart from this quantitative evaluation, the ranking also contains other information about master and doctoral programmes, research groups, and the focus of research at different faculties. Student living facilities and costs are also included. CHE intends to have this ranking effort extended still further in the future.
This investigation included some 500 subject areas at about 250 universities and university colleges in 20 European countries. The CHE centre is an independent German institute dedicated to reform and sharpen higher education as a whole.
Christer Gummeson