Times Higher Education ranked UC Irvine first among United States universities under 50 years old, and seventh worldwide. UC Irvine has been at the top of U.S. university and in the top 10 worldwide each year since the Times Higher Education’s “100 under 50” rankings were introduced three years ago.
“We are pleased to be named, for the third year in a row, the number one university in the nation under 50,” said Chancellor Michael V. Drake. “And we’re certainly not stopping here as we approach our 50th anniversary in 2015. UC Irvine has stellar students, faculty, staff, programs, and research that will make us a powerful and innovative educational force as we continue to grow and thrive.”
Performance benchmarks used in the rankings included research and the teaching environment. Special attention was paid to international collaboration, citations of campus research by other scientists and the degree to which research has spawned technical innovation.
This year, UC Irvine has created the Institute for Innovation, an interdisciplinary campus wide center focused on integrating research, entrepreneurship and technology to create real-world applications that benefit the public and drive the economy.
With initial funding through a $5 million endowment from the Beall Family Foundation, the institute is envisioned to be a center of innovation by creating a vigorous, interconnected and self-sustaining community of students, scholars, industries and entrepreneurs.
UC Irvine also has launched a number of collaborative research efforts that will focus on addressing contemporary and complex health and environmental issues. These initiatives in sustainability and in exercise medicine and sports science will foster and support new and continuing multidisciplinary work on campus and with community partners.
UC Irvine will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2015 and is the youngest institution in the prestigious Association of American Universities.