McGill climbs prestigious global university rankings

Ten academic subjects at McGill also rated among the top 50 globally in separate ranking

For the second year in a row, McGill has made a significant move up the list of Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The recently-released rankings by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy saw McGill jump to 67th in the world, up 11 spots from last year. The previous year, the University improved from 90th to 78th.

Established in 2003, the ARWU ranks some 1,800 universities worldwide. It is considered one of the pre-eminent global rankings of universities based on research metrics.

To compile the list, universities are ranked by several academic or research performance indicators, including alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals; highly cited researchers; papers published in Nature and Science; papers indexed in major citation indices; and the per capita academic performance of an institution.

McGill fared particularly well in the Nobel Prize/Field Prize component, ranking first among Canadian institutions.

10 McGill subjects make global Top 50

ShanghaiRanking also released its Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS). GRAS ranks over 4,000 institutions in 54 subjects across Natural Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Ten academic programs at McGill were ranked among the top 50 in the world. These include:

  • Public Health (21st globally)
  • Library & Information Science (33)
  • Mining & Mineral Science (34)
  • Medical Technology (36)
  • Human Biological Science (37)
  • Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (37)
  • Aerospace Engineering (40)
  • Geography (43)
  • Education (48)
  • Sociology (50)

GRAS uses a range of objective academic indicators and third-party data to measure the performance of world universities in relevant subjects, including research output, research influence, international collaboration, research quality, and international academic awards.

It has been a good summer for McGill in terms of global rankings. In June, McGill tied for 27th in the eighteenth edition of the QS World University Rankings.

You can view the full ARWU rankings online.

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Benjie Locke
2 years ago

Despite the slightly improved rankings of McGill, very few people — even in the U.S. — have ever heard of or come across this university. In Chicago where I lived, people think it is a high school or a trade school whenever I say that I finished from McGill. Outside of the U.S., it is hard to find anyone who recognizes McGill University.

Dietta Chihade
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

I’m from Chicago and I attended Northwestern and McGill was recognized all the time.

Emma Bennett
2 years ago
Reply to  Dietta Chihade

It probably depends on whom you are talking to. If you speak with American academics, some might recognize McGill. But I think there is no doubt that the vast majority of Americans anywhere in the U.S. — being non-academics — do not know what McGill is, unlike the instant recognition and prestige of a Yale or Princeton or Chicago, or even public universities like Berkeley or UCLA. McGill is still a “never-heard” school to most people worldwide, and does not have the name-recall enjoyed by these American universities.

Joe Chan
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

In tiny Mauritius 10,000 miles away we have known about Mc Gill University as one of the best in the World.

Michael Erickson
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

Yes, that is quite true. Most people the world over, especially if they are not teachers or professors, have never heard of McGill (as several other posts already noted here). Years ago, when I was choosing between the University of Wyoming, University of Illinois, and McGill, my high school counselor and teachers kept telling me that I am better off with Wyoming or Illinois, because people know exactly where/what they are, and that McGill is “just a Canadian school.”

Hubert de MESTIER du BOURG
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

Not very true in Europe,(particularly in France, also in England)) where many know about McGILL.Same in Japan and Hong Kong where McGILL has an excellent reputation as a University.

Pierre Boisseau
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

Ok, maybe not everyone, but given 30% of our student community come from over 150 countries around the world, and that McGill continuously ranks among the best universities, I would believe many people know McGill University – either by name or reputation.

KK Loo
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

Great to hear positive feedback to this chat.
I graduated from US. Don’t mean to rude, probably American centric people have never heard of McGill. McGill is recognized as an excellent university and is well known globally. I just met a McGill graduate in Singapore. He runs a global hedge fund.
In a global economy, we have to think without borders.
More importantly, build a track record on top on your excellent McGill education, you will go far in life.

Mark A Segall
2 years ago
Reply to  Benjie Locke

It’s my impression that in the US, McGill is better know among those that live in the Northeast states.

Mario Marchese
2 years ago

As a McGill Alumni it makes us all proud to get these news, and at the same time it is our responsibility to carry the name of the University even higher, make it known in our communities and with our colleagues. We need to have a way to connect with other members from McGill wherever we are, something we have been trying to do in Chile for a long time with no success, it has been difficult to get to know and connect with other Alumni.

Marie Sonia Albert
2 years ago

McGill has always had a great reputation in Education. I remember once I went to teach overseas in Dominican Republic. In the interview, the lady asked me this: “McGill, you went to McGill? ” I said yes. Then she said:”The McGill University in Montreal?” I said yes. She said :” Can you start on Wednesday?”. That was it. Once I put my resume up on ATTN, it was a teacher network for finding jobs in Ontario back in the day. I got a call 3 days later and phone interview, because I was still living in Montreal at the time.… Read more »