University of Freiburg in Top 10 German universities in the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025

The second QS World University Rankings: Europe compiled by the British company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has been published. This year, the University of Freiburg took 9th place among the 53 German universities. Ranked against all’of Europe, it took 76th place among the 684 institutions that made the list. Last year it took 10th place nationally and 79th place in Europe.

Its highest national ranking in 3 place was achieved by the University of Freiburg in outbound exchange students. It also took Top 10 places nationally in sustainability: 4 place, citations per paper: 6 place, and international faculty ratio: 9 place.

Methodology of the QS World University Rankings: Europe

Unlike the overall QS World University Rankings, which assesses universities on the basis of nine indicators, the QS World University Rankings: Europe applies twelve indicators to create its ranking.

Research contributes to the ranking with academic reputation, citations per paper and the number of papers per faculty. International character is determined in the ranking by the indicators international research network, international student diversity (ratio of international students and diversity of nationalities), international faculty ratio, and incoming/outgoing exchange students. To determine employment outcomes, the ranking looks at the reputation of employers and the roles of the alumni. In addition, the faculty student ratio and sustainability are also included as indicators in the ranking.

Analyses of papers is based on results from Elsevier’s Scopus database. Additional data are provided by the universities.