The best universities in Europe


When the topic of the best universities in Europe is initiated, most people will automatically have two at the forefront of their minds: Oxford and Cambridge. And for a majority, that’s where the debate ends. However, there are several other universities in Europe that easily make it into the top ten best universities in the world. These are universities that are popular and well recognized within academic, research, and multinational organizations circles.
Factors such as a great student-instructor ratio, percentage of international students in the student body, research activities, and academic excellence all come into play in deciding which institutions are at the top. With European universities contributing the largest percentage in world rankings, there’s evidently a lot of quality in the continent. Here are five universities that lead the rest in Europe.

Not just Oxbridge – The best universities in Europe

Imperial College London, UK

This is a university focused on science, medicine, engineering, and business. It’s the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom. With a strong emphasis on research, it has invested more than £13 million in new grants for researchers in all four of its schools and faculties. It has also made efforts towards developing research collaboration with European colleagues by launching a European Partners Fund.
The Imperial College London attracts students from more than 125 countries every year, making it one of the most diversified universities in the world.

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland

This top ranked university located in Switzerland focuses on science, technology, and mathematics. It is heavily research-based, with departments conducting research on countless fields across the spectrum of its faculties.
It boasts of more than 20 Nobel Prize laureates, with Albert Einstein being a notable alumni. There’s a strong international presence with close to 35% of students being foreign.

University College London (UCL), UK

University College London made history as the first university to be established in London. It has its main campus in central London. It is heavily invested in research and has been a member of the League of European Research Universities since 2006.
With close to 35,000 students and about 1,000 professors, it has a decent student-teacher ratio. With 29 Nobel Prize winners associated with the university either as students or staff, the institution has an impressive academic reputation.

Not just Oxbridge – The best universities in Europe

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), Germany

Founded in 1472, LMU tops the best universities in Germany. Funded by the German Universities Excellence Initiative, it is a leading research institution that has conducted pioneering research, discoveries, and innovation since the 19th century. International students from more than 130 countries constitute 13% of its 50,000 person student body.

University of Edinburgh, UK

Founded in 1583, the University of Edinburgh was one of the earliest universities in the English-speaking world. It has three schools: Science and Engineering, Humanities and Social Science, and Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. It has over 35,000 students spread out in these schools, and receives research funding to the tune of £200 million pounds annually.
20 Nobel laureates have gone through this institution, including notable figures in world history such as Alexander Graham Bell, Charles Darwin, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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