Thirteen Dutch uni's on Top 500 list; Utrecht on top, UvA tops social sciences

Dutch universities made a strong impact in a new world ranking list released on Friday, with four universities in the top 100 and 13 universities in the top 500. Utrecht University faired the strongest in general education, reaching 57th on the Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai Rankings.Leiden University (77th), University of Groningen (82nd), and VU Amsterdam (100th) were the three other highest ranking Dutch institutions. Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachussets topped the world ranking. The University of Amsterdam took the top Dutch position in social sciences, landing in 39th place. Leiden University hit 30th in clinical medicine & pharmacy, University of Wageningen took 33rd in in life & agricultural sciences, while Utrecht University wound up in 40th on the natural sciences and mathematics list. On the Engineering, Technology and Computer Sciences list, TU/Eindhoven was the highest-ranked Dutch university in 46th place. The organization behind the list says that universities were considered if they have Nobel Laureates, Fields Medalists and highly-cited researchers on staff. Universities were also able to take part if papers produced at the institutions were published in top academic journals Nature or Science, or if papers ranked highly in academic citation indices. Over 1200 universities were evaluated for inclusion in the rankings.

World Ranking

1. Harvard University 57. Utrecht University 77. Leiden University 82. University of Groningen 100. VU Amsterdam 101-150. Radboud University Nijmegen 101-150. University of Amsterdam 101-150. University of Wageningen 151-200. Erasmus University 201-300. Delft University of Technology 201-300. Maastricht University 301-400. Eindhoven University of Technology 301-400. University of Twente 401-500. Tilburg University

Social Sciences

1. Harvard University 39. University of Amsterdam 44. Erasmus University 47. VU Amsterdam 51-75. Utrecht University 76-100. Leiden University 76-100. Maastricht University 76-100. Tilburg University 76-100. University of Groningen 101-150. Radboud University Nijmegen 151-200. University of Twente 151-200. University of Wageningen

Clinical Medicine & Pharmacy

1. Harvard University 30. Leiden University 37. University of Amsterdam 40. VU Amsterdam 51-75. Erasmus University 51-75. Utrecht University 76-100. Maastricht University 76-100. University of Groningen 101-150. Radboud University Nijmegen

Life & Agriculture Sciences

1. Harvard University 33. University of Wageningen 51-75. Utrecht University 76-100. VU Amsterdam 101-150. Leiden University 101-150. Radboud University Nijmegen 101-150. University of Groningen 151*200. University of Amsterdam

Natural Sciences & Maths

1. University of California-Berkeley 40. Utrecht University 101-150. Leiden University 101-150. Radboud University Nijmegen 101-150. University of Amsterdam 101-150. University of Groningen 151-200. VU Amsterdam

Engineering, Technology & Computer Sciences

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 46. TU/Eindhoven 101-150. TU/Delft 101-150. University of Groningen 101-150. University of Twente