Samara University has improved its positions in THE ranking

Samara National Research University has improved its positions in the ranking of the leading world universities according to the British journal Times Higher Education (THE).

It is told in the global research of THE World University Rankings 2018 spread on Tuesday, September 5, which includes in total 1000 of the best world universities from 77 countries, according to TASS.

Moscow State University became the leader of the ranking among Russian universities, it took 194th position.

In 2017 Samara University shifted in 601-800 group of the ranking and is situated there together with National University of Science and Technology "MISiS" and Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology. In 2016 Samara University has got into 801-1000 group of the ranking for the first time. 

“This is a big event for Samara University, to shift from 801-1000 group of universities into 601-800 group of THE ranking during a year,- Vladimir Bogatyrev, Vice-rector for Educational and Foreign Affairs, says. ¬– Several factors influenced the rise in positions. Among them is the income from industrial partners (commercial orders on agreements from different enterprises), income from research activity including grants from funds (RSCI, RFH, RSF and others) on both federal and regional levels.”

Moreover, Samara University has raised its indicators which the university is actively improving in the “Road Map” in the boundaries of the federal programme of the increase of competitiveness of the leading Russian universities “5-100”. These are such indicators as the number of research articles in foreign journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, the rate of citation of the research articles, number of foreign students and lecturers, high quota of candidate and doctoral degrees. All these factors gave a sufficient increase of positions in the ranking. High quantity indicators of research and educational activity and qualitative transformation of university structure found their confirmation in the last THE ranking, the Vice-rector adds.

“I also want to mention that in general the raise in this ranking happened due to the participation of Samara University in project “5-100” and realization of the right strategy of university development which presupposes the rise of publication activity, development of internationalization and active research work according to the industrial orders”, - Vladimir Bogatyrev made the point.

Phil Baty, editor of the ranking, paid attention to this factor as well. His words are cited by TASS: “We see very good examples when Russian universities go up in the ranking – Higher School of Economics has improved its positions as well as the participants of project “5-100”. This is a very good example of what they could achieve”.

For reference 

Times Higher Education ranking is published for 14th time. 13 criteria divided into 5 groups are used in its preparation. In particular such indicators as citation of research articles, investment in innovations, income from research activity, quality of lecturing, degree of university globality, i.e. its ability to attract the best employees and foreign students are taken into consideration.