Trinity Ranked 16th in Times Higher Education Most International Universities

Ailbhe Noonan Editor

Trinity has been named the 16th most international university in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

This marks a fall of four places from last year and a fall of eight places from 2021, however, College continues to be the only Irish university on the list of 197 institutions. It currently ranks 161st overall, a rank it shares with the University of Bologna.

The University of Hong Kong maintained its spot as the world’s most international university with a total of 43 per cent of its students being international. It is currently ranked 31st overall and last year created a plan to become “Asia’s Global University” which included further recruitment of international staff and students.

The highest ranked European university on the list was the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, dethroning 2022’s highest ranked European university ETH Zurich. It is currently ranked 41st overall and currently a total of 62 per cent of students are international.

The data was compiled using the international student score, the international staff score, the international co-authorship score and the international reputation metrics collected for the Times Higher Education world university rankings 2023. The top institutions all had a high proportion of international students and staff and collaborated on research with scholars from across the world.

In a press statement, Provost Linda Doyle said: “I am really proud that Trinity is regarded as one of the world’s most international universities. Our international character is one of our greatest strengths”.

“At a time when some are promoting a retreat into isolationism, it is important to speak about, and celebrate, the huge benefits of international collaboration and dialogue”, she continued.

University College Dublin (UCD) announced this week that Professor Orla Feely would be taking over as President from Acting President Professor Mark Rogers. She is due to start her new role in May 2023.

Professor Feely holds a BE in electronic engineering from UCD and an MS and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley). Her research is in nonlinear circuits and systems. She has been a lecturer at UCD since 1992.

She is the current Vice-President of Research, Innovation and Impact and has been a member of the university management team since 2014. She played a role in increasing research grants, publications and funding, with the university seeing research grants worth upwards of €155 million in the past year.

She has also worked on improving the role of women in UCD through her work on developing and delivering two gender equality action plans, securing two Athena SWAN bronze awards. Professor Feely also chaired the UCD Decade of Centenaries Committee.

In a press release following the announcement of Professor Feely’s appointment, Chair of the Governing Authority Marie O’Connor said: “Professor Orla Feely is an outstanding university leader with a distinguished academic track record in research and teaching who has already greatly contributed to the reputation of University College Dublin as a centre of excellence for research and education for our students, faculty and staff.

“[Feely] is an exceptional person who has the drive and ambition to lead UCD as a public university that values its community, that sets standards and embraces wider participation in order to make a real impact on society”, she added.

Congratulating Professor Feely on her appointment, the Acting President added: “I have worked closely with Orla for many years and she is a great colleague whose pride, loyalty, support and ambition for UCD has always been evident, matched only by her ability. I believe the future holds great promise for UCD under her presidency.”

Speaking on the announcement of her new role, Professor Feely said: “I am greatly honoured to be UCD’s next President and to lead the University into the next phase of its remarkable development”.

She added: “My own studies in UCD, starting at the age of sixteen, transformed my life, and I witness the University’s continuing transformative impact every day”.

“I want to lead a UCD that makes a clear positive difference to the lives of our students through the educational experience we deliver. I want to grow our impact in Ireland and in the wider world through our work in areas such as sustainability, health and secure societies.”

“My thanks to Professor Mark Rogers for his great leadership of UCD. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside Mark, and I am very grateful to have his continuing support during the transition to my taking up office on 1 May”, she finished.

O’Connor also thanked Professor Rogers for his service, saying that the college is “enormously indebted to Professor Mark Rogers for the Acting President role he has played in leading the university since March 2022”. “Prior to this, as Deputy President and Registrar and as Dean of Science, he transformed the academic curriculum and the student experience, always placing the students at the centre of the University”, she added.

“His leadership was crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured UCD was an exemplar in terms of supporting students and staff.”

Minister for Higher Education and Research Simon Harris also congratulated Professor Feely on her appointment.

Speaking after the announcement, Harris said: “I wish to congratulate Orla on her appointment. This is a huge personal achievement for her, but also a significant milestone for the university”.

“Orla becomes the first female president of the university. She also becomes our seventh female president of a higher education university. Two-and a-half years ago, we had no female presidents”, he added.

“There have been improvements in addressing the gender imbalance in higher education in recent years and today is another major milestone. I hope it sends a strong message to everyone involved in the higher education sector and beyond - a message of inclusion, equality and opportunity for all.”

He added: “UCD are very lucky to have someone of Professor Feely’s experience and calibre, and I want to wish her the very best in her new role over the coming years”.

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank both Professor Mark Rogers and Professor Andrew Deeks for all their hard work over the past few years in helping make UCD the world-class institution it is today.”

“It is a tribute to our college community that people from across the world want to study and work here and that so many researchers globally are partnering with us on a multitude of projects.”

She finished: “I want to thank our students and staff for their hard work, and our alumni for being such outstanding ambassadors”.

Last September, Trinity rose nine places in the overall 2022 Times Higher Education World University rankings to 146th. It retained its position as Ireland’s highest-ranked university.

In a press statement at the time, Dean of Research Prof Wolfgang Schmitt said: “We are pleased to see Trinity improving its position in the THE World University Ranking.”

“This progress is testament to the quality and dedication of staff and the college community – particularly considering this difficult and challenging last year”, Schmitt said.