By SODIQ OYELEKE

The University of Ibadan, Lagos State University, and the University of Lagos have ranked among the top 800 universities in the world.

This was contained in the 2021 Times Higher Education World University Ranking obtained on Wednesday.

THE ranked UI, LASU, and UNILAG as first, second, and third respectively in Nigeria.

Privately-owned Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, was ranked fourth ahead of the Federal Government-owned University of Nigeria, Nsukka, which came fifth; and Obafemi Awolowo University, sixth in Nigeria.

A breakdown of the ranking further showed that UI ranked within 401-500th bracket; LASU, 501–600th; and UNILAG 601–800th.

Covenant University ranked within the band of 801–1000th; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Obafemi Awolowo University placed 1001+.

The ranking showed that of the six Nigerian universities listed in THE 2021 Emerging Economies University Rankings, UI and UNN scored one per cent in international students enrolment, while LASU, UNILAG, CU, and OAU had no record of student enrolment in this category.

The University of Oxford tops the rankings for the fifth consecutive year, while mainland China’s Tsinghua University becomes the first Asian university to break into the top 20 under the current methodology (launched in 2011).

Reacting, the acting Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Oyedamola Oke, expressed delight with the rating of LASU as the second-best university in Nigeria.

Oke said the new status of the university is heartwarming, and a further attestation to her quality teaching, research exploits, and robust service delivery.

Oke noted that without the unwavering support and commitment of all stakeholders to the “LASU Project”, the feat would have been unattainable.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 include more than 1,500 universities across 93 countries and regions.

The rating is based on 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across four areas – teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.

“This year’s ranking analysed more than 80 million citations across over 13 million research publications and included survey responses from 22,000 scholars globally.

“Trusted worldwide by students, teachers, governments, and industry experts, this year’s league table provides great insight into the shifting balance of power in global higher education,” THE added. (The PUNCH)

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