THE ranking 2025 of most international universities: six French institutions in the Top 100

THE, a British media company specialising in higher education news, publishes a number of thematic rankings throughout the year, including its “general ranking” of universities, used as a sector’s benchmark. Using the latter, THE has compiled the data on internationalisation for each institution already ranked, to produce its “list of the world’s most international universities for 2025”.

International reputation of an institution

As the THE writes, universities are “by nature, world institutions” that “generally welcome communities of students and researchers from all over the world”.

More precisely, the data of the Times Higher Education ranking of most international universities take into account the share of international students and staff, and publications in scientific reviews with at least one international co-author. In addition to these three criteria, there’s a more subjective component standing for 25% of the overall score, the “university’s international reputation”. The score obtained was determined in an annual survey, awarded by a renowned researcher from outside the institution who, at THE’s invitation, identifies “the best universities in the world in terms of teaching and research in their field”.

Six French institutions in the Top 100

In 2025, 217 institutions in total are ranked using these criteria. Though there is little surprise as to the leading group including Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates (and in some way the United Kingdom), France manages to stand out in this assessment of universities’ internationalisation.

Indeed, six French institutions are ranked in the Top 100, all up a few ranks. These are:

• The polytechnic Institute of Paris, reaching the 42nd position (up two ranks compared with 2024);
• Sorbonne University, in 71st position (+6 ranks);
• PSL University (Paris Sciences & Lettres), at 84th rank (same position as last year);
• Aix-Marseille University, in 93th position (+9 ranks);
• University of Toulouse, 95th (+6 ranks);
• University of Paris Saclay, 90th (+7 ranks).

Three additional institutions complement the international ranking, for a total of nine French institutions ranked:

• Paris Cité University (114th);
• Grenoble Alpes University (125th);
• Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (140th).