The University of California, San Diego tops a new Times Higher Education table of the world’s best universities founded in the aftermath of the Second World War.
Three other institutions in the University of Californian system also make the inaugural “Golden Age” ranking – Irvine at ninth, Santa Cruz at 15th and Riverside at joint 19th.
The table lists the world’s best universities established between 1945 and 1966 – what THE describes as the “Golden Age” in global higher education, characterised by rapid university expansion and increasing investment in research.
The UK is the most-represented country in the top 100 list with 19 universities, led by the University of Warwick at eighth. The country’s success is due to the birth of “plate glass” universities following the 1963 Robbins report.
This era also saw the establishment of several Indian Institutes of Technology, resulting in the Asian giant taking seven places.
Meanwhile, Australia and Canada each have six representatives. The Antipodean nation is also the most-represented in the top 10, claiming three places: Australian National University (second), Monash University (fourth), and University of New South Wales (seventh).
Altogether 31 countries make the list.
These middle-aged universities perform strongly across all 13 metrics underpinning the ranking, but particularly on those related to teaching, research reputation and research productivity.
They also attract high proportions of international staff, on average.
The table uses the same methodology as the THE World University Rankings.
Golden Age universities
|
Golden Age Rank |
World University Rank 2016-17 |
Institution |
Country |
Year founded |
Teaching |
Research |
Citations |
Industry income |
International outlook |
Overall score |
|
1 |
41 |
United States |
1960 |
61.2 |
66.2 |
98.9 |
67.3 |
47.7 |
73.2 |
|
|
2 |
47 |
Australia |
1946 |
54.0 |
73.9 |
81.7 |
53.5 |
93.9 |
71.3 |
|
|
3 |
=72 |
South Korea |
1946 |
70.2 |
69.8 |
58.8 |
85.2 |
32.4 |
64.2 |
|
|
4 |
74 |
Australia |
1958 |
49.5 |
57.4 |
78.5 |
76.0 |
87.1 |
64.0 |
|
|
5 |
75 |
Germany |
1948 |
58.1 |
67.3 |
66.9 |
38.9 |
67.2 |
63.7 |
|
|
6 |
76 |
Chinese University of Hong Kong |
Hong Kong |
1963 |
52.2 |
60.4 |
74.6 |
44.7 |
84.0 |
63.6 |
|
7 |
=78 |
University of New South Wales |
Australia |
1949 |
43.2 |
58.6 |
81.4 |
49.7 |
91.0 |
63.0 |
|
8 |
=82 |
United Kingdom |
1965 |
46.8 |
52.6 |
80.9 |
40.8 |
91.4 |
62.0 |
|
|
9 |
=98 |
United States |
1965 |
42.5 |
45.0 |
94.1 |
45.5 |
62.3 |
60.3 |
|
|
10 |
102 |
Germany |
1946 |
39.1 |
51.3 |
88.3 |
76.4 |
57.7 |
59.8 |
|
|
11 |
=121 |
United Kingdom |
1952 |
39.2 |
46.1 |
82.8 |
39.2 |
90.2 |
58.1 |
|
|
12 |
=126 |
United Kingdom |
1955 |
34.6 |
39.2 |
94.3 |
34.9 |
87.6 |
57.9 |
|
|
13 |
129 |
United Kingdom |
1963 |
42.5 |
45.9 |
79.8 |
34.1 |
84.5 |
57.7 |
|
|
14 |
=137 |
United Kingdom |
1964 |
37.0 |
40.9 |
84.7 |
35.6 |
89.1 |
56.4 |
|
|
15 |
146 |
United States |
1965 |
34.7 |
35.3 |
99.8 |
40.9 |
48.7 |
55.6 |
|
|
16 |
149 |
United Kingdom |
1961 |
32.6 |
37.9 |
88.1 |
33.7 |
88.8 |
55.1 |
|
|
=17 |
=153 |
China |
1958 |
51.8 |
43.4 |
74.7 |
77.6 |
24.2 |
54.7 |
|
|
=17 |
=153 |
Netherlands |
1962 |
36.8 |
46.7 |
70.8 |
84.6 |
83.6 |
54.7 |
|
|
=19 |
=165 |
United States |
1954 |
32.0 |
33.7 |
93.4 |
40.5 |
62.2 |
53.4 |
|
|
=19 |
=165 |
United Kingdom |
1963 |
30.7 |
31.1 |
92.4 |
32.4 |
84.3 |
53.4 |
|
|
21 |
=170 |
Sweden |
1954 |
30.3 |
40.5 |
87.9 |
39.9 |
59.6 |
53.1 |
|
|
22 |
=173 |
Canada |
1957 |
37.8 |
44.9 |
70.8 |
41.0 |
77.5 |
52.9 |
|
|
23 |
177 |
Netherlands |
1956 |
36.6 |
43.5 |
71.7 |
56.9 |
72.0 |
52.4 |
|
|
24 |
=190 |
United Kingdom |
1963 |
33.6 |
32.1 |
81.0 |
38.7 |
84.9 |
51.3 |
|
|
25 |
194 |
Germany |
1966 |
39.8 |
44.5 |
64.4 |
73.1 |
62.6 |
51.1 |
|
|
26 |
=195 |
Canada |
1966 |
34.8 |
35.2 |
77.9 |
48.8 |
71.5 |
51.0 |
|
|
27 |
=198 |
United States |
1948 |
29.8 |
24.6 |
99.7 |
33.8 |
49.2 |
50.8 |
|
|
28 |
200 |
University of Illinois at Chicago |
United States |
1965 |
46.0 |
35.3 |
69.6 |
41.6 |
57.1 |
50.6 |
|
29 |
201-250 |
Norway |
1946 |
29.8 |
29.3 |
86.2 |
36.6 |
74.0 |
50.1 |
|
|
30 |
201-250 |
Israel |
1956 |
41.0 |
51.1 |
55.1 |
45.3 |
49.1 |
49.0 |
|
|
31 |
201-250 |
United States |
1957 |
34.7 |
24.5 |
86.8 |
35.6 |
55.6 |
48.8 |
|
|
32 |
201-250 |
Canada |
1965 |
23.8 |
31.9 |
77.0 |
47.5 |
89.3 |
47.7 |
|
|
33 |
201-250 |
Italy |
1962 |
23.6 |
27.7 |
89.3 |
41.3 |
57.3 |
47.5 |
|
|
34 |
201-250 |
United States |
1956 |
27.8 |
34.9 |
75.2 |
95.8 |
44.4 |
47.1 |
|
|
35 |
201-250 |
Australia |
1965 |
29.3 |
28.5 |
73.5 |
63.7 |
79.8 |
46.9 |
|
|
36 |
201-250 |
Finland |
1958 |
30.3 |
32.6 |
75.1 |
39.9 |
54.2 |
46.4 |
|
|
37 |
251-300 |
Australia |
1964 |
32.5 |
36.5 |
62.3 |
41.3 |
75.0 |
46.0 |
|
|
38 |
251-300 |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
31.8 |
31.0 |
65.1 |
37.2 |
85.5 |
45.7 |
|
|
39 |
251-300 |
Denmark |
1966 |
21.4 |
23.6 |
81.6 |
69.9 |
76.9 |
45.5 |
|
|
40 |
251-300 |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
30.0 |
32.6 |
60.9 |
37.6 |
91.8 |
44.9 |
|
|
41 |
251-300 |
Sweden |
1965 |
22.6 |
28.6 |
79.7 |
35.2 |
59.9 |
44.6 |
|
|
42 |
251-300 |
Germany |
1965 |
36.7 |
36.2 |
56.9 |
59.2 |
51.6 |
44.3 |
|
|
43 |
301-350 |
Canada |
1963 |
22.1 |
22.5 |
77.9 |
37.9 |
73.7 |
43.2 |
|
|
=44 |
301-350 |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
32.9 |
34.4 |
54.0 |
37.0 |
73.2 |
42.8 |
|
|
=44 |
301-350 |
United Kingdom |
1964 |
32.3 |
36.0 |
47.7 |
32.8 |
95.2 |
42.8 |
|
|
46 |
301-350 |
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology |
Russian Federation |
1946 |
47.7 |
33.1 |
40.8 |
98.7 |
50.0 |
42.7 |
|
47 |
301-350 |
Canada |
1959 |
29.9 |
39.7 |
50.7 |
37.4 |
73.5 |
42.6 |
|
|
48 |
301-350 |
United Kingdom |
1965 |
22.8 |
22.3 |
68.7 |
32.5 |
89.3 |
41.6 |
|
|
49 |
301-350 |
Brunel University London |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
24.9 |
26.0 |
61.3 |
37.2 |
92.3 |
41.5 |
|
50 |
301-350 |
Spain |
1952 |
29.7 |
23.9 |
65.3 |
55.6 |
55.6 |
41.3 |
|
|
51-100 |
501-600 |
University of the Andes |
Colombia |
1948 |
19.9 |
14.9 |
50.0 |
49.4 |
55.5 |
26.9-39.6 |
|
351-400 |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
20.6 |
23.9 |
56.2 |
34.3 |
93.5 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
Israel |
1955 |
23.5 |
23.0 |
49.0 |
32.8 |
51.5 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
Binghamton University, State University of New York |
United States |
1946 |
24.3 |
20.4 |
68.5 |
35.9 |
40.3 |
26.9-39.6 |
|
|
– |
China |
1952 |
30.0 |
19.2 |
48.6 |
54.6 |
17.9 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Taiwan |
1958 |
24.0 |
24.4 |
45.2 |
69.6 |
27.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
24.1 |
25.9 |
56.2 |
33.3 |
91.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
China |
1951 |
27.4 |
18.7 |
46.7 |
45.1 |
41.6 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
China |
1952 |
22.5 |
15.2 |
51.9 |
60.7 |
25.6 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
Australia |
1966 |
22.3 |
11.3 |
74.9 |
36.5 |
66.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
Canada |
1964 |
26.1 |
33.0 |
48.7 |
46.9 |
55.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
United Kingdom |
1966 |
22.2 |
24.0 |
49.3 |
42.8 |
92.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Japan |
1949 |
30.0 |
14.0 |
41.2 |
45.4 |
24.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
Hong Kong |
1956 |
23.3 |
13.6 |
67.4 |
32.9 |
79.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
China |
1953 |
31.0 |
24.7 |
43.6 |
68.0 |
19.9 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
India |
1958 |
39.2 |
31.1 |
52.8 |
46.9 |
19.2 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
India |
1961 |
37.5 |
23.9 |
47.0 |
71.7 |
15.9 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
India |
1959 |
34.6 |
22.9 |
38.4 |
98.8 |
17.9 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
India |
1951 |
31.0 |
19.4 |
44.5 |
49.5 |
16.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
India |
1959 |
38.3 |
22.3 |
41.2 |
81.1 |
17.5 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Greece |
1964 |
14.3 |
14.8 |
64.8 |
35.5 |
40.3 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
India |
1955 |
32.1 |
15.4 |
37.6 |
39.1 |
14.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
Johannes Kepler University of Linz |
Austria |
1966 |
25.3 |
15.5 |
49.9 |
41.2 |
58.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
|
|
401-500 |
United Kingdom |
1949 |
18.3 |
20.4 |
53.6 |
33.2 |
73.6 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
Saudi Arabia |
1963 |
28.7 |
16.8 |
36.7 |
92.8 |
86.8 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Saudi Arabia |
1957 |
24.0 |
27.9 |
28.7 |
96.4 |
76.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
351-400 |
South Korea |
1949 |
28.5 |
35.5 |
48.5 |
79.3 |
51.5 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
– |
Malaysia |
1949 |
29.1 |
22.0 |
46.4 |
46.9 |
70.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
Italy |
1959 |
21.2 |
7.2 |
85.8 |
37.5 |
28.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
United States |
1966 |
21.3 |
18.7 |
58.8 |
33.4 |
29.6 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
New Zealand |
1964 |
22.5 |
19.6 |
43.3 |
39.1 |
92.2 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
601-800 |
Turkey |
1956 |
27.3 |
19.5 |
31.4 |
58.8 |
27.8 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
University of Nantes |
France |
1961 |
17.3 |
15.5 |
64.9 |
35.5 |
45.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
|
|
401-500 |
Taiwan |
1958 |
33.0 |
40.2 |
35.3 |
89.3 |
33.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
France |
1957 |
27.3 |
11.9 |
43.0 |
66.7 |
76.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Taiwan |
1946 |
28.2 |
31.1 |
17.6 |
78.3 |
44.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
France |
1965 |
21.9 |
8.0 |
58.1 |
32.5 |
79.2 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
Russian Federation |
1959 |
43.2 |
28.3 |
33.6 |
36.3 |
36.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
South Korea |
1946 |
27.8 |
27.1 |
25.6 |
63.8 |
33.9 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
Italy |
1955 |
25.0 |
11.8 |
65.6 |
37.6 |
25.2 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Iran |
1966 |
25.1 |
27.4 |
37.6 |
85.3 |
17.9 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Canada |
1954 |
22.2 |
13.3 |
45.8 |
34.7 |
56.2 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
South Korea |
1960 |
24.9 |
27.5 |
32.7 |
48.4 |
26.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
State University of Campinas |
Brazil |
1966 |
44.9 |
39.6 |
28.0 |
46.5 |
24.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
|
|
401-500 |
United Kingdom |
1964 |
24.2 |
31.2 |
36.2 |
46.6 |
75.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
601-800 |
Taiwan |
1960 |
26.4 |
21.1 |
27.3 |
97.9 |
28.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
501-600 |
Finland |
1965 |
23.0 |
14.9 |
44.3 |
64.6 |
56.1 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
601-800 |
India |
1945 |
24.4 |
10.0 |
45.1 |
32.1 |
37.2 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
401-500 |
New Zealand |
1964 |
20.9 |
23.2 |
49.5 |
34.7 |
87.8 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
601-800 |
South Africa |
1959 |
17.9 |
14.3 |
40.1 |
32.7 |
58.4 |
26.9-39.6 |
||
|
601-800 |
South Korea |
1947 |
33.1 |
11.4 |
35.0 |
38.9 |
28.0 |
26.9-39.6 |
Note: What we describe as ‘Golden Age’ institutions are those founded in what can be seen as the ‘Golden Age’ of higher education, from 1945 to 1966. This period following the Second World War saw an extraordinary expansion of higher education and a major increase in investment in university research. The Golden Age table was compiled applying the same method as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/methodolo...).
Register to continue
Why register?
- Registration is free and only takes a moment
- Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
- Sign up for our newsletter
Subscribe
Or subscribe for unlimited access to:
- Unlimited access to news, views, insights & reviews
- Digital editions
- Digital access to THE’s university and college rankings analysis
Already registered or a current subscriber? Login
