Irish universities score badly on science and engineering

Ireland has scored well in global rankings of universities for some subjects but has no representation in the top 100 in key science and engineering categories.

Trinity College Dublin is in the top 200 for 23 out of 30 subjects, including 25th in English language and literature, and top 50 positions in modern languages (42nd), politics (46th) and history (48th).

The rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds, which produces leading annual world university rankings, are based on research citations and reputational surveys of over 90,000 academics and employers.

UCD, the country’s biggest university, has top 100 places in English, history, modern languages, agriculture, accounting, law and politics. It is also ranked 100th to 150th for linguistics, three engineering disciplines, geography and economics, and top 200 for nine more subjects.

Ireland scores well in many arts and humanities subjects, with NUI Maynooth joining TCD and UCD in the top 100 for English, and UCC also in the top 100 for modern languages along with Trinity and UCD.

While all five undergraduate medical schools are ranked — TCD in the top 100, UCC and UCD are in the top 200 — no Irish college makes the top 100 for key science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.

“Increased international competition from Asia is making it difficult for Ireland’s universities to keep pace, especially in science, technology, engineering and maths,” said Quacquarelli Symonds research head Ben Sowter.

The National University of Singapore is among the 10 best in all engineering and technology disciplines. UCC enters the top 150 for environmental sciences, a position it also holds for electrical and electronic engineering, biological sciences, and it makes the top 200 for education, chemical engineering, pharmacy and geography.

Dublin City University makes the top 200 in computer science, with TCD (top 150) and UCD.