Top Universities for Politics in 2020

The recently released QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020 features 200 of the top higher education institutions to study politics and international relations.

The QS University Rankings by Subject are based on four indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper and the H-index (a way of measuring the productivity and published work of a scientist or scholar). You can find more details about the methodology behind the subject rankings here.

Read on to learn more about the best politics schools in each region. Alternatively, if you would like to explore the politics schools in further detail, click here to view the full table.

Top universities for politics in the US and Canada

The United States is home to 44 of the 200 universities featured in this year’s ranking. Of these, five are featured in the top ten in the world and Harvard University takes the top spot for the best politics school, for the fifth consecutive year, earning a perfect score in the employer reputation index. Outside of the top ten, there is an abundance of high performing universities in the US, including Columbia University (11^th), Georgetown University (12^th), University of California, San Diego (UCSD, 14^th).

Canada is home to seven top universities to study politics, with the University of Toronto the top ranking this year, which, despite dropping three places, remains in the top 20, in joint 20^th place, earning a near perfect score in the H-index. Other notable Canadian universities include, University of British Columbia (40^th) and McGill University (43^rd).

Top universities for politics in Europe

Europe has 88 universities in the rankings this year, with Sciences Po Paris in France taking the title of the best continental European university to study politics, rising from third to joint 2^nd place this year in the rankings, and earning a perfect score in the academic reputation indicator. Overall France is home to four universities in the politics schools ranking, with Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne also in the world top 100.

29 top politics universities are United Kingdom, with five of these in the world top 20. These include King's College London (KCL, rising three places to 15^th), SOAS - School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (rising five places to 18^th) and University of Essex (rising four places to 29^th).

Switzerland and Spain each contain six universities in this year’s rankings. Switzerland’s ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) performs particularly well, retaining its joint 31^st position and scoring highly in the research citations per paper indicator. Spain’s Universitat Pompeu Fabra ranks in the top 100.

Eight of Europe’s top politics universities can be found in Germany, with Freie Universität Berlin coming out on top, in 19^th place. Two others are also in the world top 100 for politics schools; Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Universität Mannheim.

The Netherlands, Italy and Belgium each have five universities featuring in this year’s ranking. The Netherlands’ Leiden University and University of Amsterdam rank 22^nd and 26^th respectively, with Leiden University climbing an impressive seven places in the rankings this year. Over in Italy, European University Institute rises four places in the rankings this year, to place in joint 31^st position. Belgium has two universities in the world top 100; KU Leuven and Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB).

Poland, Norway, Hungary, Finland, Estonia, Czech Republic and Austria each only have a single entrant in the politics subject ranking this year. Of these seven locations, Hungary performs the best, with its Central European University rising 11 places in the rankings to claim 30^th place, and a high score in the academic reputation indicator. Norway’s University of Oslo also scores highly, earning a place in the world top 100.

There are four ranked politics universities each found in Russia and Sweden. Russia’s National Research University - Higher School of Economics (HSE) is new to the top 50 this year, rising three places to claim 48^th place. Sweden has three politics schools in top 100 this year, including Lund University, University of Gothenburg and Uppsala University.

Of Denmark’s three universities featured in the politics rankings this year, University of Copenhagen is in the top 50, in 38^th place. Two top politics and international relations universities can be found in Ireland; Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD), both ranking in the top 100.

Top universities for politics in Australia and New Zealand

Australia is home to 11 top politics and international relations universities. Three of these are in the worldwide top 50, with Australian National University (ANU) rising two places this year to 8^th – the only top 10 entry in Australia. Other notable universities include the University of Sydney (24^th) and the University of Melbourne, which, despite dropping 19 places this year, manages to stay in the top 50, in joint 44^th place.

New Zealand has four politics universities featured in this year’s subject rankings, with two of these in the world top 100: the University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington.

Top universities for politics in Asia

30 of the top politics and international relations universities are situated in Asia. The best politics and international relations program in Asia is offered by Singapore’s National University of Singapore (NUS) in 13^th place this year. Also in Singapore is Nanyang Technological University (NTU), in the world top 100.

Mainland China, Japan and South Korea each have six politics universities in this year’s rankings. China has three politics universities in the top 50: Tsinghua University ranks in 36^th place this year, Peking University is in 39^th and Fudan University is in 41^st. Japan also contains three universities in the world top 50; the University of Tokyo (25^th), Kyoto University (47^th) and Waseda University (50^th). South Korea is home to three universities in the world top 100; Seoul National University (SNU, joint 31^st), Korea University and Yonsei University (both 51-100^th).

India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand each have a single entrant in the rankings this year. Hong Kong has three entries in the rankings this year, all within the world top 100, including the University of Hong Kong (HKU), dropping 15 places this year to reach 31^st place. Taiwan’s two entrants include National Taiwan University (NTU) which fell five places in the ranking to 51-100^th.

Top universities for politics in Latin America  

There are 13 top politics universities in Latin America this year, including five in Brazil.

There are four in Colombia, including new entrant Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (151-200^th).

Chile has two universities featured in this year’s rankings including new entrant Universidad Diego Portales (151-200^th) and world top 100 entry Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Mexico and Argentina both feature a sole entrant in the ranking, with Mexico’s Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) ranking 51-100^th this year.

Top universities for politics in Africa and the Middle East

Africa’s sole entrant in this year’s ranking is University of Cape Town in South Africa in 101-150^th place.

Over in the Middle East, Lebanon and Israel each have a single entry in the politics schools ranking this year.