On 4 March 2021, the QS rating agency published QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021. Annually QS analyzes the quality of more than 13 thousand individual training programs, according to which students study at almost 1.5 thousand universities in 83 countries. In 2021, 1,452 universities were surveyed, including 40 from Russia.
For the seventh time in a row, The National Research Nuclear University MEPhI entered the TOP-100 of the QS Physics & Astronomy ranking, improving its position compared to last year. MEPhI took 86th place among universities in the world and entered the top three best Russian universities along with Lomonosov Moscow State University and MIPT.
MEPhI also improved its positions in two subject ratings: entered the group 301-350 (last year — 351-400) in Mathematics and entered the group 351-400 (earlier — 401-450) in Computer Science & Information Systems. Moreover, the university took 159th place in the world in Natural Sciences, 307th place — in Engineering & Technology, entering the 351-400 group in the subject of Electrical & Electronic Engineering.
On the eve of the release of the QS rating, the RIA Novosti press center held a briefing, which was attended by the heads of Russian universities and the regional director of Quacquarelli Symonds Sergey Khristolyubov. The experts discussed the achievements, strengths, and weaknesses of Russian universities, as well as ways to improve results.
In particular, the Rector of MEPhI Mikhail Strikhanov noted: “It is necessary to distinguish between institutional and subject ratings. The QS methodological structure includes such indicators as academic reputation, employer reputation. They make up 50% of the rating indicators, while they are poorly amenable to assessment. In particular, academic reputation is formed from the opinion of a certain international community, which is easily interpreted differently”.
The rector of MEPhI also stressed that the ratings are a kind of mirror that helps the management team see the advantages and the disadvantages of their work.
“A new program for the Russian universities development that replaces Project 5-100 is focused more on supporting the country interests, sectors of the national economy, digitalization, added Mikhail Strikhanov. In my opinion, we should talk about further support for our triad - science, education, innovative technologies. Moreover, digitalization should also be added here. This is a huge field of action. We have to get used to the idea that the ratings will include such parameters as digitalization, the balance of full-time and online education, ethics of relations between professors and students, including virtual assistants in the educational process”.
