Russian universities excel in Kremlin-backed rankings

Three Russian higher education institutions feature in the top 100 of a new world university rankings sponsored by the Kremlin.

Lomonosov Moscow State University is the highest-placed Russian institution in 25th place in the first Moscow International University Ranking, which was initiated by the Russian Union of Rectors under President Vladimir Putin’s order, according to the Russian news agency Tass. It ranked at 194th in Times Higher Education’s latest World University Rankings.

Other Russian higher education institutions in the new rankings include Saint Petersburg State University (72nd) and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (73rd), the agency said. These institutions were ranked at between 401-500 and 251-300, respectively, in THE’s tables.

Ten more Russian higher education institutions were placed between 100 and 200 by the new rankings, which, Tass said, “uses 17 new criteria calculated on the basis of objective data and excludes subjective reputational issues”. The new rankings received state funding from the Russian government.

These institutions include the Higher School of Economics (107th), National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (131st), Novosibirsk State University (132nd), Tomsk Polytechnic University (136th), Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University (173rd), Tomsk State University (176th), MGIMO-University (192nd), Kazan Federal University (194th), Ural Federal University (195th) and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (197th).

Harvard University scored first place in the ranking, operated by the Association of Rating Compilers, which, Tass said, includes “leading rating and research centres” such as the Russian credit rating agency Expert RA, the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre and the multinational company Reputation Institute.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology took second place, Stanford University is in third place and Yale University in fourth, while the University of Cambridge completed the top five, Tass said.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com