“This 16th place confirms the international stature” of Paris-Saclay University, says its president

“This 16th place confirms the international stature” of Paris-Saclay University, its president, Estelle Iacona, reacted on Monday August 15 on franceinfo after the publication of the Shanghai ranking in which four French establishments remain in the top 100. First non-Anglo-Saxon establishment with its 16th place, the University of Paris-Saclay has however lost three places compared to the 2021 ranking. “We have never had so many companies that have come to discuss and collaborate with Paris-Saclay University since we were ranked in the top 20 in Shanghai”underlined Estelle Iacona.

franceinfo: Are you satisfied with your position, even if you lose three places?

Estelle Iacona: For us, this 16th place confirms the international stature of our university, which is intensive in research. We work on a large number of disciplinary themes. It is important to watch how things are positioned over time. The research time is three years, which is the length of a PhD, and when you look at the three-year university rankings, you pretty much have the reality of what’s going on.

What does it bring to be in this ranking?

International visibility. Since Paris-Saclay has been classified, the general public is much more aware of what we do and how we position ourselves. This brings attractiveness vis-à-vis French and international students, vis-à-vis researchers, teacher-researchers and staff, and vis-à-vis economic and socio-economic collaborations. We have never had so many companies that have come to discuss and collaborate with Paris-Saclay University since we were ranked in the top 20 of Shanghai [depuis 2020].

The eight French universities appearing in the top 200 are all labeled IdEx (Initiatives of Excellence) or ISITE (Initiatives Science-Innovation-Territories-Economy). What does this type of label bring?

It’s a model that is extremely interesting for bringing together universities, colleges and research organizations that have already been working together for a number of years. Bringing them closer at the institutional and geographical level allows for even stronger collaborations and interdisciplinarity, such as doctors working with mathematicians, engineers, sociologists and lawyers. This rapprochement between several disciplines will enable us to contribute even better to societal challenges.