UPWr ranked in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023

• The ranking qualification included 11 scientists from the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences with the highest Hirsch index
• Life sciences – broadly defined – are key to the next generation's future, say UPWr researchers
• Ranking strategy builds our global visibility

Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences in the QS World University Rankings by Subject was classified in the Agriculture & Forestry subject (part of the Life Sciences and Medicine area) in the range of 351-400. This gives us the 4th place in Poland. In addition to UPWr, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (41st in the world), Poznań University of Life Sciences (101-150 in the world) and the University of Warmia and Mazury (251-300) were also noted in this subject.

In the world's top ten in this subject are the universities with which UPWr collaborates – these are not only the University of California, Davis, where the collaboration is on veterinary medicine, Ghent University in Belgium – also veterinary medicine, primarily reproduction, but also biotechnology and microbiology, and Iowa State University. At this American university, UPWr scientists have done postdoctoral and research internships, and US researchers come to Wroclaw for lectures.

The top list form UPWr

The Agriculture & Forestry subject takes into account bibliometric indicators of articles published in journals with such categories as agriculture and forestry, food technology, animal science, entomology, horticulture, soil science and plant science. Based on these journal categories, the publications of the university's scientists are qualified and the indicators for these publications are calculated: Citations per paper (the average number of citations per publication in that ranking discipline), the Hirsch index and the International Research Network index (which measures the degree of diversification of internationalization). Citations have 20% weight in the ranking, similarly, the H-index has 20%. IRN has 10%.

The UPWr scientists with the highest Hirsch index in this research area according to the ranking qualification are Prof. Aneta Wojdyło, Prof. Jan Oszmiański, Prof. Miklas Scholz, Prof. Jan Szopa, Prof. Joost van Hoof, Prof. Krzysztof Marycz, Prof. Adam Figiel, Prof. Alicja Kucharska, Prof. Waldemar Rymowicz, Prof. Cezary Kabała and Prof. Antoni Szumny.

For future generations

Prof. Aneta Wojdyło, Vice-Rector for Science at the University of Environmental and Life Sciences (highest Hirsch index): – The categories included in the bibliometric indicators of qualified articles in the subject in which we were first noted in this ranking are actually a large part of our research area. However, they show not only what we are interested in, but above all what is important to humanity as a whole. And even if at first it seems like an over-the-top, somewhat pathos-ridden term, upon deeper reflection, when we come to the realization that we are living in the Anthropocene, the environmental changes associated with human activity bring challenges and threats that we do not know how to deal with on a global scale, we begin to understand that our research work really does matter for the quality of life of future generations.

Prof. Adam Figiel, head of the Department of Thermal Technology and Process Engineering at the Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, admits that not only the presence of our univeristy in the QS World University Rankings by Subject shows that there is a growing understanding of the importance of life sciences in the broadest sense.

–Take agriculture, for example, not so long ago treated somewhat dismissively, at least in Poland. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has shown us all the importance of food security. Food production is not only a matter of securing people with food, of high value, of appropriate quality. It's also a matter of environmental impact, if only through the use of fertilizers, but also a matter of caring for soils, which, as a resource that is difficult to renew, are easily degraded," explains Prof. Figiel and adds: – Figuratively speaking, without cars we will manage, without new smartphones too, but without food we will not survive as humanity. And that's why our presence in this ranking is a good signal not only for us, scientists, that what we do has value and meaning, but it is also a clear signal to our entire external environment, university applicants – life sciences are our future. And this is not at all figurative.

Rankings strategy

The ranking also took into account academic reputation (40%) and reputation among employers (which assesses the level of university graduates on the job market) – 10% – both of which Polish universities find it most difficult to appear in due to not very high international recognition.

– Part of our ranking strategy is to promote among employees ways to increase visibility in international rankings. We give researchers tips on how to publish, which journals to choose, but we also promote reputation surveys, included in the QS and THE rankings. The increase in the number of people filling out surveys and nominating scientists from other institutions for registration, including employers who hire our graduates, has contributed significantly to improving our visibility. It was thanks to last year's promotional campaign at the university that we were able to cross the threshold for entry into the QS rankings, underlines Prof. Aneta Wojdyło.

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