KU Leuven number 1 in Reuters Top 100 of Europe's Most Innovative Universities

Publication date : 14/06/2016
Source: Reuters

At first glance, the most innovative universities in Europe don't appear to have much in common. Some are Catholic schools, some are secular, others are state-run and some are private. One is 920 years old. Another has been an independent institution for less than a decade. They’re scattered across the continent, some in large cities, others in rural areas.

The single unifier: Nearly all of them emphasize practical research and applied science, as opposed to pure academics. Technical universities and colleges dominate Reuters’ first-ever ranking of Europe’s top 100 innovative universities, a list that identifies the educational institutions that are doing the most to advance science, invent new technologies, and help drive the global economy.

The most innovative university in Europe is KU Leuven, a Dutch-speaking school based in Belgium's Flanders region. Founded in 1425 by Pope Martin V, it’s the world oldest Catholic university, but its instruction isn’t limited to theology. KU’s modern mission is comprehensive and advanced scientific research. Open to students of all faiths, it operates autonomously from the Church, and maintains one of the largest independent research and development organizations on the planet –in fiscal 2014, research spending exceeded 426 million euros.

KU Leuven earned its first-place rank, in part, by churning out a high volume of influential inventions. Its researchers submit more patents than almost any other university in Europe, and outside researchers frequently cite KU Leuven inventions in their own patent applications.

Those are key criteria in the Reuters ranking of Europe’s Most Innovative Universities, which was compiled in partnership with the Intellectual Property & Science division of Thomson Reuters.

Some of the top-rated universities on the list were created when larger institutions spun out their technical departments. Other top-ranked institutions were specifically created to serve as centers of innovation.

On a regional basis, Western Europe dominates the list, with 60 universities in the top 100. Northern Europe comes in a distant second, with 24; Southern Europe has 15. Eastern Europe only has a single university on the list, Poland’s Jagiellonian University, ranked #92. And only five universities on the list are located in countries that are not members of the European Union – four in Switzerland, and one in Norway (University of Oslo, #41). Notable absences from the top 100 include any universities in Russia or Turkey, two of Europe’s most populous countries; or any universities in small but wealthy Sweden or Finland.

To compile its ranking of Europe’s most innovative universities, the IP & Science division of Thomson Reuters began by identifying more than 600 global organizations –including educational institutions, nonprofit charities, and government-funded labs– that publish the most academic research. Then they evaluated each candidate on 10 different metrics, focusing on academic papers (which indicate basic research) and patent filings (which point to an institution's ability to apply research and commercialize its discoveries). Finally, they trimmed the list so that it only included European universities, and then ranked them based on their performance.

Since the rankings measure innovation on an institutional level, it may overlook particularly innovative departments or programs; a university might rank low for overall innovation, but still operate one of the most innovative biotechnology labs in the world, for instance. But whether they rank in the top 10 or somewhere in the 90s, all the universities ranked in the Europe Top 100 count among the world’s best. They produce original research, create useful technology and stimulate the global economy.

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