Ireland had nine institutions in the rankings this year – the same as last year.
The latest rankings, evaluated and compiled by Times Higher Education (THE), place Trinity College in 173rd position, significantly lower than last year.
The disappointing result is the worst-ever for Ireland’s long-time premier academic institution. Its rankings have been up and down in recent years with the college coming 164th in 2020 before rebounding to 146th two years later and then 139th last year.
However, the newly published rankings have proven it to be a milestone outing by Dublin City University (DCU) which has entered the top 350 universities in the world for the first time.
“The University’s rise in the global rankings is a strong affirmation of DCU’s commitment to its mission, ‘to transform lives and societies’,” university president Daire Keogh said.
The DCU campus entrance on Dublin’s northside
DCU also ranked number one in Ireland for research quality, and 138th in the world. It was the only Irish university to move up in the rankings, while six others retained their positions from last year.
“The advancement of our research impact and reputation is one of DCU’s key strategic objectives, so I am particularly pleased that THE has ranked the university number one in Ireland for research quality,” Mr Keogh added.
Vice-president John Doyle praised the results as a “tremendous endorsement” of the staff, and said he hopes the momentum of the success can be harnessed to achieve solutions to the “serious economic and social challenges facing Ireland and Europe at this time”.
Technological University Dublin (TUD) has also had its worst-ever performance in these rankings, slipping down from the band of 1,201 – 1,500 to 1,001 – 1,200.
Described by THE as a “shaky” year for Irish university rankings, the annual evaluation provides the definitive list of the world’s best universities based on 11 subject-specific rankings, with an emphasis on research.
This year has proven not just to be a rough year for Ireland, but an even worse one for Europe as a whole, with the premier academic institutions of several countries on the Continent suffering below-par results.
Despite Oxford University maintaining its elite status as the world’s top-ranked university for the tenth consecutive year, only 18 German universities made it to the top 200, down from 23 in 2020.
Eight of the Netherlands’ 12 universities slipped in the rankings also, while 22 French institutions fell, with 15 having their worst ever showing.
Conversely, an “Eastern centre of gravity” has been heralded by these findings, according to chief global affairs officer of THE, Phil Baty.
“This year’s rankings highlight a dramatic and accelerating trend – the shift in the balance of power in research and higher education excellence from the long-established, dominant institutions of the West to rising stars of the East,” he said.
“The US and much of western Europe have suffered significant lost ground in the world rankings, while East Asia nations, led by China, continue to thrive and surge up the table.
“This clear trend is set to persist as research funding and international talent attraction continue to be stymied in the West.”