Vilnius University (VU) strengthened its ranking in QS World University Rankings 2020 by 30 positions and now holds 458th place worldwide. VU is also ranked the highest among other Lithuanian higher education institutions and is the only one to improve its stance in this year’s evaluation results.

Other Lithuanian universities hold their respective positions: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (591-600 position), Kaunas University of Technology (751-800), Vytautas Magnus University (801-1000).

Since last year’s ranking, VU improved its academic reputation and faculty student ratio indicators. VU is also seen as the most reputable higher education institution in Lithuania among the employers.

According to the VU rector professor Artūras Žukauskas, improved results contribute to the attractiveness of the university both in Lithuania and abroad, however, rankings should be seen as one of many tools when deciding which higher education institution the students should pick.

‘This year's strengthened position demonstrates the fact that the quality of our studies is recognized globally and academics from other universities value our researchers’ competences and consider our university to be a reliable partner. It is extremely important to evaluate such data to everyone, even Lithuanians thinking of studying abroad, since we notice that many students graduating schools are leaving for lower-rated educational institutions’, says rector Žukauskas.

QS World University Rankings is the largest independent global ranking of higher education institutions. Over the last seven years, VU has risen up to 143 positions in these rankings.

QS World University Rankings base their evaluation on six main criteria: academic reputation, representing the perception of academics from around the world, reputation among the employers, ratio between students and staff members in the faculties, scientific citations per faculty member, and international students and staff figures.