The Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2021: Université Paris-Saclay strengthens its position as a world-class research-intensive university
On 26 May 2021, Shanghai Jiao Tong University published its annual Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS). Just like in 2020, this year Université Paris-Saclay came 1st in the world for Mathematics, and 9th for Physics (1st in Europe), demonstrating its research excellence once again. The University also secured spots in the global top 50 for 11 subjects, including Agricultural Sciences (12th globally, 1st in France) and Clinical Medicine (22nd globally, 1st in France).
The 2021 edition of the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects was published online on Wednesday 26 May, ranking the world’s best institutions according to 54 subjects, divided into five broad areas: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences and Social Sciences. Université Paris-Saclay appeared in the top 50 for 11 subjects and in the top 100 for another 14.
For the second year in a row, Université Paris-Saclay was ranked first in the world for Mathematics, a demonstration of the research excellence conducted by the laboratories within the University’s scope.
Université Paris-Saclay appeared in the Shanghai Ranking’s top 50 of the world’s best universities for 11 subjects. It was ranked 9th in the world for Physics (1st in Europe), 12th for Agricultural Sciences, 22nd for Clinical Medicine, 29th for Telecommunication Engineering as well as for Statistics, 30th for Biotechnology, 32nd for Automation & Control and 41st for Mechanical Engineering.
The University also made excellent progress in other subjects, such as Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, ranking 30th globally, and Chemistry, coming 49th.
These results demonstrate the excellence of the University’s disciplinary scientific foundation, led by its constituent faculties, technical institutes, grandes écoles (CentraleSupélec, AgroParisTech, the École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay and the Institut d’Optique Graduate School), the Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques (IHES), and the joint research units it shares with six partnering national research organisations: the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (INRIA), the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and the French Aerospace Lab (ONERA). These results also pave the way for new opportunities to pursue and expand the development of successful interdisciplinary research.
“Performing well in rankings is not an end in itself for our University. However, it is a source of pride for our community and a recognition internationally of the work carried out by our researchers and academic staff working in the laboratories within our faculties and grandes écoles, in collaboration with partnering national research organisations,” said Sylvie Retailleau, President of Université Paris-Saclay. “I am delighted by these excellent results that we share with other French universities. They prove that France’s research potential is real and that this research needs to be supported.”
1st in Mathematics, 9th in Physics, 12th in Agricultural Sciences: Université Paris-Saclay confirms its position as a world-class university
Université Paris-Saclay’s excellent performance in Mathematics is the fruit of the work carried out by nine laboratories: the Laboratoire de Mathématiques d’Orsay (the Orsay Mathematics Laboratory) at the Faculty of Sciences - UPSaclay/CNRS; the Laboratoire Alexander Grothendieck (the Alexander Grothendieck Laboratory) - IHES/CNRS; the Centre Borelli - ENS Paris-Saclay - UPSaclay/CNRS; the Fédération de Mathématiques de CentraleSupélec (the CentraleSupélec Mathematics Federation) – CentraleSupélec - UPSaclay/CNRS; the Institut de Physique Théorique (the Institute of Theoretical Physics) - CEA Saclay/CNRS; the Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Modélisation d'Evry (the Evry Mathematics and Modelling Laboratory) - Université d’Evry; the Laboratoire de Mathématiques de Versailles (the Versailles Mathematics Laboratory) - Université de Versailles Saint Quentin/CNRS; the Laboratoire Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées (the Applied Mathematics and Computer Science Laboratory) - AgroParisTech - UPSaclay/INRAE, and the Laboratoire Mathématiques et Informatique Appliquées du Génome à l'Environnement (the Laboratory for Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from Genomes to the Environment) - INRAE.
Physics at Université Paris-Saclay maintained its excellent 9th place globally, thanks to the laboratories at the Faculty of Sciences, its grandes écoles, (CentraleSupélec, ENS Paris-Saclay, and the Institut d’Optique Graduate School) and its partnering national research organisations, in particular the CEA and CNRS.
Agricultural Sciences, which is coordinated in particular by the laboratories at AgroParisTech, INRAE, the CNRS and the Faculty of Sciences at Université Paris-Saclay, also secured a 12th place globally.
An excellent performance for Engineering
In the Engineering category, Université Paris-Saclay strengthened its excellent rankings in a range of subjects: Biotechnology (30th globally, 1st in France); Automation & Control (32nd globally, 1st in France) and Telecommunication Engineering (29th globally, 1st in France). These strong results are thanks to the research carried out in its laboratories at the Faculty of Sciences, its grandes écoles (in particular CentraleSupélec and the Institut d’Optique Graduate School) and its partnering national research organisations - the CEA, CNRS, ONERA and INRIA.
Promising progress for two subjects in Life Sciences
Université Paris-Saclay is ranked 22nd in the world for Clinical Medicine (1st in France)
“We are delighted by this lasting international recognition that illustrates the quality of the research led by the Paris-Saclay Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with national research organisations (CEA, CNRS and INSERM), various medical centres and also Gustave Roussy. This has come during a time when the Faculty of Medicine and our medical and paramedical teams have been at the very forefront of the fight against Covid, leading key research,” said Didier Samuel, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Université Paris-Saclay.
Université Paris-Saclay is ranked 30th in the world for Pharmaceutical Sciences
“This excellent performance rewards the scientific policy led by the Faculty of Pharmacy at Université Paris-Saclay, which is today France’s largest academic research centre in Pharmacy, recognised in the field of medicine but more particularly for therapeutic innovation. It acts as a reward for the quality of the scientific work it carries out with national research organisations (CNRS and INSERM),” said Marc Pallardy, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Université Paris-Saclay.