Semmelweis University jumps 61 places in Times Higher Education ranking
Minister expects Hungary’s universities to further strengthen due to the country’s innovation ecosystem
The Times Higher Education (THE) rankings rank institutions around the world in eleven different disciplines. Semmelweis University is ranked the best in Hungary and is now the 318th-best university in the world, after jumping 61 places from last year. Most of its success came in the field of research, two-thirds of which is related to clinical patient care.
László Palkovics, Minister for Innovation and Technology, attributes the success to the country’s focus on clinical-patient practice in its higher education system.
Clearly pleased with the results, Palkovics cited the combination of education, research, and patient care for setting the university on the right path and stated that further measures will be taken by the government to continue the progress made. Hungary will spend HUF 32 billion to support domestic R&D and create a university-centered ecosystem of innovation.
The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (ITM) will also continue to encourage Hungarian higher education institutions to cooperate with both Hungarian enterprises and foreign universities as well. Focus will remain on driving clinical patient care and research to help form future healthcare strategies, and an independent medical-health research and development fund will be created in 2021 to help drive this. Tenders will also be opened for research in patents and exportable products.
Palkovics stated that he expects Hungary’s higher education institutions to continue their rise in international rankings due to the country’s organized innovation ecosystem, which enables them to further strengthen their standing in their given fields.
