University of Jena improves its position in international university rankings

In front of the main building of the University of Jena, a flag can be seen with the motto ‘Light.Life.Liberty.’ Photo: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
In front of the main building of the University of Jena, a flag can be seen with the motto ‘Light.Life.Liberty.’ Photo: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

The University of Jena ranks among the top 11 per cent of universities worldwide. In the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026 (THE Ranking) published today, the university confirms its position in the 201–250 ranking group among a total of 2,191 universities evaluated worldwide – and at the same time improves its position within Germany by two places to 19th out of 55 listed universities.

This year's improvement in the area of ‘Industry’ (patents and third-party funding from industry) is particularly striking: here, the university has risen by over 120 places in the global comparison, from 341st to 217th, and has achieved a new high with a score of 88.7 out of 100 points (previous year: 78 points). This development underscores the university's growing importance as a driving force for innovation, transfer and application-oriented research – for example, through initiatives such as the new JENAiNNOVATION transfer centre or the close exchange between the university and university hospital with companies and start-ups in the region.

The University of Jena also maintains its strong performance in the key areas of research and teaching, and even shows slight improvements in individual indicators. The university performs well in the ‘International Outlook’ category, which includes international cooperation, mobility and the proportion of foreign students and employees. At the same time, the ranking shows potential for further development: with 13.9 per cent international students and 7.5 per cent international employees, the university aims to further expand its international visibility in a targeted manner.

Stable excellence in a challenging environment

‘Against the backdrop of predominantly stagnant or declining developments in the THE ranking across Germany, we are delighted with this stable and, in some areas, significantly improved result,’ says University President Prof. Dr. Andreas Marx. ‘It confirms that our investments in education, research and innovation are having an impact. At the same time, it motivates us to further expand our international visibility.’

In a global comparison, the Anglo-American region once again dominates this year: the top 10 consists of seven US and three British universities. Among German universities, only 18 were able to place among the top 200 – the lowest number since 2015. ‘This environment in particular shows that a university like ours, with strong regional roots and growing international relevance, can achieve a great deal through consistent profile building and science communication,’ Marx continued.

Background

The THE World University Ranking is one of the most prestigious international university rankings. It is based on 18 indicators in five areas: teaching, research quality and environment, industry funding and patents, international outlook, and citations. For the 2026 edition, 2,191 universities worldwide were analysed.