New European QS ranking: four French institutions in the Top 30

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To complement its famous world ranking of universities, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) published for the first time a ranking of European universities. About 700 institutions for some 40 countries were analysed for this ranking, in which France is still in a fine position with four universities ranked in the Top 30.

Like the world ranking, the QS European ranking is also based on several indicators such as the reputation of institutions (academic and professional), the excellence in terms of research, the international openness and the professional integration of graduates on the labour market.

Four French institutions of excellence in the Top 30

Though the Top 10 is led by institutions from the United Kingdom (like is often the case in the British QS), France is nonetheless in a good position of this new ranking. Once again, Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) university is recognised, by earning a 7th position; PSL currently welcomes 17,000 students, including 20% international students (and 40% in doctorate), and it includes 11 academic institutions and three research entities.

Also included in the Top 30:

Institut Polytechnique de Paris (21th position) includes five prestigious French schools of engineering and registers 8,000 including 40% international;
Sorbonne Université (25th), is the result from the merger of two Parisian universities, and registers 50,000 students, including about 10,000 international students;
University of Paris Saclay (30th), includes two universities, four “grandes écoles”, a school of engineering and seven research entities. It registers 65,000 students, including 23% international students and researchers.

Fifteen French institutions in total in the Top 200

Further down the ranking, in the Top 200, are 11 additional institutions spread all over France, reaching a total of 15 French universities and schools in the Top 200 of the ranking.

They are: