times higher education ranking france

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International rankings: France reaches top places

Over the past ten years, France has been increasing its mark in international rankings, a sign of recognition of the quality of French education and research at the international level. With a 3rd place worldwide in the famous Shanghai ranking, and a French university leading the recent THE ranking of universities under 50 years old, French higher education is one of the most attractive academic environments in the world.

The release of international rankings has become a regular event throughout the year, with governments, the media and higher education institutions publishing and promoting them.  

France makes progress in general rankings

The shanghai ranking.

The Shanghai ranking was created in 2003 and is now one of the most eagerly awaited and recognised rankings in the academic world. It compares 1,000 higher education institutions on academic criteria, such as the number of Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (past and present), the number of articles published in Nature and Science, and other reference indicators.

In 2021, France was ranked 3rd in the world in terms of the number of institutions in the top 50, with the Université Paris-Saclay 13th, Sorbonne Université 35th and Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) 38th. In total, thirty French institutions are ranked, including the University of Paris (73rd), and INSA Toulouse and Montpellier Business School, which entered the ranking in 2021.

The Times Higher Education ranking

Created in 2004, the THE ranking is based on several criteria: quality of teaching and research, citations, knowledge transfer to industry and international influence.

France is ranked 7th in the world , with a total of 39 institutions. They include 17 institutions in the Top 500, five in the Top 200, three in the Top 100 and one in the Top 50 (PSL, 40th).

France, leader of rankings of management schools

Since 2005, the Financial Times publishes a ranking of the best Master’s course in management (MiM). It is designed using 17 criteria, such as the wage of graduates and their potential growth, the globalisation of the school (globalisation of class, and student mobility), staff and students diversification (nationality, gender), and others. Some 21 French masters are distinguished, including eleven schools in the top 50, and four in the top 10: HEC Paris (2nd), followed by ESSEC (6th), ESCP (7th) and EDHEC Business School (10th).

The Financial Times also publishes a ranking of the best masters in finance (MiF), which illustrates French excellence, since the Top 5 in 2021 is 100% French : respectively, HEC Paris, ESCP Europe, SKEMA BS, ESSEC BS and EDHEC BS.

France improves its position in the thematic rankings

Thematic rankings are more recent than the generalist rankings, and they take into account a discipline or adopt a particular angle of analysis (the date of creation of the institution for example).

France is well positioned in the rankings of “young universities” (institutions under 50 years of existence). One French institution, PSL, is in first place in the Times Higher Education's “Young universities” 2022 ranking. Five French institutions appear in the top 20, with the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (6th), Sorbonne Université (12th), Université Paris-Saclay and Université de Paris (tied at 18th rank). 

France is also increasingly well represented in the thematic rankings by discipline. With two universities in the Top 5 (which was not the case in 2020) and six institutions in the Top 50 of the 2021 Shanghai thematic ranking, France confirms the excellence of its higher education , particularly in the field of mathematics education.

Recognition of the excellence of French higher education is also evident in terms of the employability of its graduates. With 18 institutions ranked, including 9 in the top 100 of the THE Global University Employability Ranking, France is ranked 2nd worldwide after the United States...and before Germany.

Brève #9 “France in international rankings”

Campus France explains the progress of France in international rankings over the last ten years in the 9th issue of the “Les Brèves” collection: the Shanghai ranking, the THE “world university ranking”, the QS “world university ranking”, etc.

In a deliberately synthetic format, the “ Brèves ” focus on a specific aspect of international mobility.

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World University Rankings

THE ( Times Higher Education ) has been providing trusted performance data on universities for students and their families, academics, university leaders, governments and industry, since 2004. We create university rankings to assess university performance on the global stage and to provide a resource for readers to understand the different missions and successes of higher education institutions.

Our rankings cover the three main areas of university activity: research, impact and teaching.

Global rankings

The THE World University Rankings provide the definitive list of the world’s best universities, with an emphasis on the research mission. It is the only global university league table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching (the learning environment); research environment (volume, income and reputation); research quality (the outputs of research); industry (knowledge transfer) and international outlook (staff, students and research). It uses 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons. The overall list is accompanied by 11 subject-specific rankings.

We also draw on the rich database behind the World University Rankings to publish a series of regional and thematic rankings, offering deeper insights into a wider range of universities against a wider range of missions. These include: Arab University Rankings, Asia University Rankings, Latin America University Rankings, World Reputation Rankings and Young University Rankings.

Impact rankings

The THE Impact Rankings, founded in 2019, are the only global league tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We publish an overall ranking, as well as 17 tables showing universities’ progress towards delivering each of the SDGs.

Teaching rankings 

Our teaching rankings were developed to offer a different assessment of excellence in higher education, and to enable us to rank institutions that are often not research-focused enough to be eligible for the World University Rankings. We launched our first teaching ranking in 2016. These rankings are geographically focused because the data associated with teaching, and the issues related to it, tend to be much more local than global in nature. We publish one teaching ranking: the Japan University Rankings. These rankings put student engagement and student success at their heart. 

Other rankings 

Our Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings combine aspects of our impact, research and teaching rankings to explore how universities in Africa can deliver on the challenges of the UN SDGs and Agenda 2063.

Global university rankings

Young university rankings 2024.

The  Times Higher Education  Young University Rankings list the world’s best universities that are 50 years old or younger.

World University Rankings 2024

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 include 1,906 universities across 108 countries and regions.

World Reputation Rankings 2023

The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2023 are based on the world’s largest invitation-only opinion survey of senior, published academics.

Young University Rankings 2024: results announced

Higher education growth shifts east, but there are markedly different trends across Asia

World Reputation Rankings 2023: results announced

Universities in the Arab region make giant leaps in their reputation, owing to increasing prestige regionally

A challenging year for university reputation management

Geopolitical tensions and freedom of speech issues are testing universities the world over. To successfully manage their reputations, they must avoid getting distracted by all the noise, says Mark Sudbury

Museums, media and mobility: how to put the public in public engagement

The Technical University of Munich is moving beyond outreach and creating a two-way dialogue with society, says Jeanne Rubner

World University Rankings 2024: the 20th edition

The World University Rankings have grown and developed to reflect the changing global higher education sector, writes Ellie Bothwell 

World University Rankings 2024: results announced

UK and US universities struggle to keep pace with top Asian performers as research funding shares decline

World University Rankings 2024: China creeps closer to top 10

North America has also revived while Oceania’s international outlook has dipped. Patrick Jack picks out key rankings trends

Regional rankings

Asia university rankings 2024.

The Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2024 use the same 18 performance indicators as the THE World University Rankings, but they are recalibrated to reflect the attr

Arab University Rankings 2023

The Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings 2023 reveal the strength of higher education across the Arab region.

Latin America University Rankings 2023

The Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings lists the top universities in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings

The Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings have been developed specifically to assess the impact of universities in addressing some of the toughest challenges faced

Asia University Rankings 2024: results announced

Updated methodology reveals previously underappreciated research strength in some Asian countries, reports Rosa Ellis

Asia University Rankings 2024: revelations of research strength

Our revised rankings methodology shows Asian research is stronger than appreciated, as participation and competition rises across a dynamic region writes Ellie Bothwell

Asia University Rankings 2024: in charts

Continent’s elite shuffle positions, while more universities from West and South Asia feature

Arab University Rankings 2023: results announced

Saudi Arabia’s KAUST leads table for the first time, driven by its research performance

Arab University Rankings 2023: UAE leads on collaboration

Institutions in the UAE stand out for their high levels of cooperation with both global and regional institutions

Arab University Rankings 2023: a region of resilience and growth

Even as many universities struggle to keep the lights on, others reap the rewards of strong investment and tumult elsewhere, writes Pola Lem

Impact Rankings 2023: results announced

Three Australian and four Canadian institutions among top 10 of THE ranking exploring progress of universities worldwide towards achieving SDGs

Impact Rankings 2023: Australia and Canada set pace for sustainability

As Australia and Canada lead the overall table, THE data show universities worldwide grappling with the affordable housing crisis and demands to divest away from fossil fuels

Impact Rankings show stars shine everywhere

Our rankings demonstrate that universities worldwide, not just the elite, are addressing urgent challenges

Middle-income countries are most active in Impact Rankings

Universities in middle-income economies lead the globe when it comes to commitment to sustainability, THE ’s Impact Rankings data suggest

Universities made SDGs a priority, now they must speed up progress

Having embraced Sustainable Development Goals, higher education has to accelerate their wider use and impact, says Rachel Kyte

To avoid ‘permacrisis’, universities must translate their knowledge

Science may be the best tool humanity has to improve our social conditions – but we must steer it in the right direction, writes Carolina Torrealba

Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022

The Wall Street Journal / Times Higher Education  College Rankings, based on 15 performance indicators, is designed to answer the questions that matter most to students and their families: How likely am I to graduate, pay o

Japan University Rankings 2023: results announced

Data suggests an improvement in recognition for public municipal universities in teaching-focused league table

WSJ/THE US College Rankings 2022: Johns Hopkins joins top 10

Harvard leads student-focused ranking for fifth consecutive year

Mobile students ‘more likely to apply to university mandating vaccine’

THE  survey finds strong support for Covid-19 vaccine passports among international students, who are keen to study in-person 

Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022 methodology

Ranking of US universities and colleges puts student success and learning at its heart

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The University of Montpellier, 1st French university in The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

The University of Montpellier confirms its progress in The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. In its 5th edition, it maintains its top ranking among French institutions, and ranks among the world's top 101-200 institutions for its long-standing commitment to sustainable development.

The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings aim to measure the commitment and performance of higher education institutions in terms of sustainable development. The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings are innovative in that they don't simply rank institutions on the basis of their research or teaching performance, but take a different, more societal approach. It is based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015 by the United Nations. A total of 1,591 universities took part in this fifth edition. Since the creation of this ranking in 2019, the University of Montpellier has participated every year, enabling it to highlight its commitment in terms of sustainable development and societal responsibility. This year, it has been ranked in the top 50 worldwide for 4 objectives, in line with the establishment's major themes: nourish, care for, protect.

"The University of Montpellier is extremely proud to be ranked as France's top higher education institution in The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023. Our rise each year, both nationally and internationally, is testament to our commitment to sustainable development. I am convinced that this distinction is in no way due to chance, but rather reflects our constant determination to do more and better every year ," declared Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier.

The UM, successful excellence in Sustainable Development Goals

In this ranking, UM stood out in the "health and well-being" MDG category, taking 15th place worldwide and 1st place in France, with an increase of more than 66 places. UM also made significant progress on the "aquatic life" ODD, moving up to the 101-200 category with a 33rd place worldwide, and a new 1st place in France, once again demonstrating UM's excellence in the field of ecology. Lastly, the University of Montpellier ranks 33rd worldwide in the "decent work and economic growth" MDGs, up 22 places, and 49th in the "reducing inequality" MDG, putting it at the top of the list of French establishments. All these results testify to UM's total commitment to social responsibility.

For Agnès Fichard-Carroll, vice-president in charge of training and university life at the University of Montpellier and head of the gender equality mission, " this exceptional ranking rewards the UM's determination to respond authentically to a wide range of sustainable development objectives. It is recognition of the collective work and commitment of our teams in serving the community and society at large" .

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CentraleSupélec ranked 1st among French schools in the Times Higher Education Employability ranking

CentraleSupélec confirms its position as the number one French institution in the Times Higher Education international ranking dedicated to employability . And it remains in 22nd place worldwide.

In general, France ranks second internationally , behind the United States and ahead of Germany, with the most sought-after students by recruiters around the world.

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Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

Below are the top universities in France according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 . The THE World University Rankings critique institutions according to 13 key performance indicators including learning environment, research influence and international outlook.

PSL Universite Paris

Université Paris-Saclay

Institut polytechnique de paris, sorbonne university, université paris cité, ecole normale superieure de lyon, montpellier university, université grenoble alpes, aix-marseille university, university of bordeaux, centrale nantes, claude bernard university lyon 1, ecole des ponts paristech, federal university of toulouse midi-pyrénées, imt atlantique, institut agro, ensta bretagne, nantes université, sciences po paris, university of côte d’azur, recommended university.

Other rankings

QS World University Rankings 2024

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Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023