In the current 2021 CHE University Ranking, students award Ulm University’s mathematics programme top marks. The Centre for Higher Education (Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung, CHE) ranking list, which is published annually in cooperation with the weekly magazine DIE ZEIT, is one of the most important university ranking lists in Germany. Around 120,000 students from more than 300 universities were surveyed for this year’s list. According to the survey, Ulm University students are also particularly satisfied with the programmes in physics and computer science.
A good way to sum up the results of the 2021 CHE university ranking for Ulm University’s mathematics programme is that our students feel well looked after. In particular in the areas of “teacher support”, “study organisation”, “support in studies” and “exams”, the mathematics programme received above-average ratings, thus making it into the top group for these criteria. The surveyed mathematics students were also very satisfied in the areas of “study organisation” and “library”. Ulm University achieved a spot among Germany’s top 10 in this subject. Consistently good scores were also awarded for the subjects of computer science and physics; here the surveyed students in both subjects were most satisfied in the areas of “IT infrastructure” and “workstations”. Both programmes achieved a spot in the top group for these criteria.
The current CHE University Ranking included student surveys from a total of 18 subject areas, 8 of which can be studied at Ulm University: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, medicine, physics and dentistry.
For the student survey – which makes up the main part of the CHE University Ranking – more than a dozen main categories were included, each divided into multiple sub-criteria. These include the aforementioned indicators, for which Ulm University received top scores, as well as areas such as stays abroad, library facilities, rooms and research orientation. Here, the students gave consistently high scores in the three subject areas of mathematics, physics and computer science.
Top scores for “support during the study entry phase”
In addition to the student survey, the CHE ranking included information on the study programmes and research activities which was collected directly from the surveyed universities. This included criteria such as graduations within the standard length of programme and number of doctoral degrees – indicators that were also rated positively. Ulm University achieved a spot in the top group for the category “support during the study entry phase”. In light of the restrictions on teaching ensuing from the coronavirus pandemic and the related challenges in preparing for the Abitur (German university entrance qualification), this topic is not only of particular importance to the ranking organisers. “Especially in the STEM subjects – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – good preparation for university is crucial for later academic success. This is even more true in exceptional times like these, when students need even more support than usual. So we are very pleased that Ulm University got such high scores in this category”, confirmed Professor Olga Pollatos, vice president education at Ulm University.
CWU rankings: Ulm University among the top 1.7% of universities worldwide
In late April, the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) published its “Global 2000 List”. Ulm University achieved an impressive 318th place in this international ranking out of the 19,788 universities listed from around the world. In Europe, this equates to 129th place.
Text and mediacontact: Andrea Weber-Tuckermann