National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI” has entered the ranking of the best universities in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE) among 13 Russian universities.

MEPhI was included in the group 301-350 and together with Kazan Federal University took 4-5 place among the Russian participants of the rating. Then there are Novosibirsk State University and St. Petersburg State University (401-500 group), Bauman Moscow State University (501-600), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, MISIS, Southern Federal University, Tomsk State University and Ural Federal University (601-800).

Last year there were only two Russian higher educational institutions in the ranking. As the head of the Interfax research group “National University rankings” Alexey Chaplygin noted, this year THE had published a more detailed rating – up to 800 positions. If the year before there were only two Russian universities – Lomonosov Moscow State University and Novosibirsk State University and the rest remained “behind the scenes”, now the range has expanded, and as many as 13 universities joined the rankings. “Still we have to analyze their positions, but it is encouraging for the participants of the project 5-100 and the educational system as a whole”, the representative of the expert community said.

“It's good news that 13 Russian universities entered the list, and five universities are in the top 400 (including MEPhI – ed.). In the last five years Russia has made great efforts to improve its system of higher education, including project 5-100, which aimed to include at least five Russian universities in the top 100 of world rankings by 2020. It seems that universities are already reaping the benefits of this program”, the editor of THE rankings Phil Baty said.

“But Russia should continue its active work to vie with such large competitors, such as China, who also is seriously invested in higher education”, the chief editor added.