The great promises of the future
The Universitat Politècnica de València has been ranked among the 100 best universities of the world that are less than 50 years old.
Harvard, Berkeley, Stanford, Cambridge… we all know the names of the most prestigious universities in the world. These are usually old institutions, with a centuries-long tradition of educating world leaders. In the words of the expert Jamil Salmi, they are like good wine: they require great care and a long maturation period.
Recently, the American publication, Times Higher Education (THE) published an original ranking of the best 100 universities that are less than 50 years old. And the Universitat Politècnica de València is included, in position 74.
This ranking has been created on the basis of the same variables that are used in traditional rankings: the number of published articles, the turnover generated by research activity, international presence… The only particularity is that no institution founded before 1962 was taken into account.
Where does a young, excellent university come from? The diversity of countries among the top 100 is surprising. Experts believe that it is easier to create an institution that is intended to compete against the best from scratch than trying to turn an acceptable university into an elite institution.
Using English as a working language is important to stand out in this ranking of young and promising institutions. Attracting talent is crucial, and language should not pose a problem in this respect. And not only foreign but national talent: analysts claim that the best way to create a top university is to persuade teachers, researchers, and students who emigrated to return to their home country and take part in its development.
Of course, something which young universities have learnt from their elders is that it is not possible to have a first-rate university without great effort and unconditional loyalty to the project: and that includes employee commitment and the involvement of an wide-reaching network of alumni (who bring prestige to the institution and contribute funds), but also the pride of society as a whole, the support of the business sector, and ongoing financial support from the government.
How is the Spanish university system positioned in this ranking? Given current conditions, in an excellent fourth position, only behind the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. For, beyond specific examples, Spain has placed five of its universities in the “young promise” ranking. In the words of those in charge of the ranking, five institutions that are real national treasures and examples of amazing precocity.
