The QS BRICS University Rankings 2019, released today, features an impressive 101 of the top universities in Russia, ranked based on a methodology which assesses each institution on eight indicators. The BRICS ranking, launched annually since 2013, aims to highlight the strongest institutions in the fast-growing economies of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
Read on to discover this year’s top 10 in Russia, along with information on each institution’s subject strengths in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject.
10. Moscow State Institute of International Relations – MGIMO University
Dubbed the ‘Harvard of Russia’ by Henry Kissinger, Moscow State Institute of International Relations – MGIMO University is down slightly in this year’s BRICS ranking to rank 44th, but nonetheless remains one of the 10 highest-ranked universities in Russia, not to mention one of the hardest to gain admission for. MGIMO earned a perfect score for faculty-student ratio indicator, showing that students have good access to tutors.
On an international scale, MGIMO placed joint 355th in the QS World University Rankings® 2019, and looking at the latest rankings by subject, it appears in the global top 100 for politics.
9. Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU)
Heading to the Siberian city of Tomsk, Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) has climbed 10 places in the BRICS ranking to now rank 39th, making it ninth among the top universities in Russia. Also ranked joint 373rd in the latest world rankings, TPU achieved a perfect score in the international students category of the BRICS, with 25 percent of its 15,000 students coming from outside Russia. TPU was established in 1896 as Tomsk Technological Institute, making it the oldest technical university in Siberia.
Reflecting its long history and reputation as a leading institution for applied science and technology, TPU appears in the subject rankings for six engineering and science disciplines, with its best score for chemical engineering (in the 201-250 range).
8. National Research University - Higher School of Economics (HSE)
National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), located in Moscow, is up two places to rank 37th in this year’s BRICS, and was also ranked joint 343rd in the latest world university rankings. HSE was placed 12th in the faculty/student ratio indicator, with 7,000 lecturers and researchers and 35,100 students. HSE is the youngest Russian university in this list, having been founded in 1992, but has nonetheless been able to establish itself as a premier university in the country.
Looking at the subject rankings, HSE was included among the world’s best for 13 subjects, including positions in the global top 100 for sociology and politics.
7. Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU)
Staying in Moscow, Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU) is ranked joint 33rd in this year’s BRICS and joint 299th in the world. It earns a perfect score of 100 in the faculty/student ratio indicator, as well as coming 10th for employer reputation. BMSTU was established in 1830 and has since gained a reputation as a leading center of higher education and research engineering. It is highly active with international activities, with numerous exchange programs for both staff and students, as well as collaborations with partner foreign universities and companies.
BMSTU is ranked among the world’s best for five subjects as of 2018, achieving a position in the top 200 for mechanical engineering.
6. National Research Nuclear University "MEPhI" (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute)
National Research Nuclear University, also known as MEPhI, continues to climb in the BRICS ranking, having gone up five places to rank 30th, overtaking BMSTU in the process to claim sixth place among the top universities in Russia. Originally founded in 1942 as the Moscow Mechanical Institute of Munitions, MEPhI is now a fully global university which has adapted the Bologna Process (a process of standardizing higher education in Europe). And while it already has a perfect score in the international students indicator, MEPhI nonetheless aims to have 21 percent of its students be international by 2020.
Also appearing in the world rankings at joint 329th*, MEPhI is in the global top 100 of the subject rankings for physics & astronomy, and is also ranked for mathematics, computer science and electrical engineering.
5. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology State University
Next in our look at the 10 top universities in Russia this year is Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology State University (MIPT), which climbed seven places to rank 21st in BRICS, and also came 312th in the most recent world university rankings. Established in 1951, MIPT is considered one of the leading institutions in the country for physics and technology. Many of its alumni have gone on to successful careers in science, politics, business, cosmology, and its faculty includes a number of leading Russian scientists.
MIPT is internationally ranked for six subjects, with its highest rank for physics & astronomy (in the top 100).
4. Tomsk State University (TSU)
Heading back to Siberia, Tomsk State University (TSU) climbed seven places to rank 19th in this year’s QS BRICS ranking, with perfect scores for both the faculty/student ratio indicator and the international students indicator. Also ranked joint 277th in the world, TSU was founded in 1878 as the Siberian Imperial University, and it now hosts about 18,000 students, 2,000 of whom are from outside Russia. There are English-taught programs available at both bachelor’s and master’s level in subjects such as linguistics, computer science, management and physics.
TSU is in the subject rankings for five fields, with spots in the top 250 for physics & astronomy and modern languages.
3. Novosibirsk State University
Novosibirsk State University (NSU) is ranked 12th in this year’s BRICS and joint 244th in the world, and achieves its strongest score for the international students indicator. Students at NSU benefit from the university’s location at the world-leading science center of Akademgorodok (‘academic town’), which is the educational and scientific center of Siberia, and home to numerous research institutes and facilities. There are English-taught programs available at master’s and PhD level, but students choosing to study in Russian can improve their knowledge with NSU’s intensive 12-week summer school.
Novosibirsk State University is ranked among the world’s best for 10 subjects, with a spot in the global top 100 for physics & astronomy.
2. Saint-Petersburg State University
Saint-Petersburg State University (SPbU) continues to climb in the BRICS ranking this year, now placed 11th and overtaking Novosibirsk State University as second among the top universities in Russia. Also ranked 235th in the world, SPbU is the oldest university in Russia, having been founded in 1724 by Peter the Great. Around 400 interdisciplinary programs and 1,000 non-degree programs are available, mostly in Russian, although some English-taught master’s programs are available. Notable alumni of the university include nine Nobel Prize winners and other notable figures, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Of the 15 subjects Saint-Petersburg State University is internationally ranked for, it appears in the global top 100 for three: modern languages, mathematics and linguistics.
1. Lomonosov Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) holds on to the top spot among the top universities in Russia, down one place to rank sixth in this year’s BRICS. Also ranked 90th in the most recent world university rankings, MSU’s main building is the tallest educational building in the world, and the university is also home to one of the largest library systems in Russia, with around 10 million books, 2.5 million of which are in foreign languages.
Lomonosov Moscow State University was ranked among the world’s best for 28 of the 48 fields covered in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, including positions in the top 50 for linguistics, physics, mathematics, modern languages, hospitality & leisure management and computer science.
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*Although National Research Nuclear University is ranked lower than Bauman Moscow State Technical University in the QS World University Rankings®, it ranks higher in the BRICS ranking because of the differing methodologies used to compile the rankings. Find out more here.
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