Europe tops rankings

Europe has taken over the US role as the educational hub of the world, enthuses Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. The list of 100 top universities published by the Times Higher Education Centre for the first time this year featured more universities from the Old Continent (39) than from the New World (36). Only a year ago the U.S. was clearly in the lead (42 to 36). What’s more, according to data revealed by UNESCO, in 2009 almost 800,000 candidates from outside of Europe took on studies in European universities, while the U.S. has managed to attract a tad over 620,000 overseas students. Why? European universities are cheaper than their American counterparts and focus on those areas of study that are currently in highest demand: bio and digital technologies, the daily points out. Moreover, harsh visa regulations introduced after the attacks of 9/11, effectively discouraged young people from studying in America. It is true that Harvard still tops the list, but it is closely followed by Cambridge University, with the famous Yale trailing behind. The first five also lists two London universities: University College and Imperial College, as well as Oxford University.