The main reason for the 8-place drop on the global list was the university’s lower score on teaching indicators. As in previous years, the university boasted high scores on Research Income, Patents, Industry Income, Research Excellence, Research Influence and International students & staff. TU Delft’s lower scores for its teaching and research reputation are striking, especially as the underlying values are up compared to last year. This part of the ranking is based on THE-s annual Academic Reputation Survey, in which respondents nominate universities they believe excel in research and teaching.
Leading rankings
The THE Ranking is one of the world’s leading university rankings, along with the Shanghai ranking and the QS ranking, which compare all’universities across the board, including general universities and universities of technology. Nevertheless, the specialised rankings such as the Engineering & Technology rankings and subject rankings are more relevant for TU Delft. Each ranking is based on different methods and criteria and have their own strengths and weaknesses. High listings in leading rankings can help attract top talent from around the world, with international students and scholars looking to study or work abroad often using the university rankings to make their decision.Fierce competition has emerged in the rankings in recent years, following the rise of universities in Southeast Asia and considerable outlays on teaching and science in the US (mainly private) and Europe (public and private). On top of that, more and more new universities are also entering the rankings.