alhambraGRANADA University is the only Spanish higher education institution to appear in the world’s top 50.

The IT and Communications department of Granada University jumped from coming 101st in 2012 to 42nd place in the prestigious Shanghai’s 2015 rankings.

The result, also meaning the school comes seventh in Europe, is even more impressive given recent financial cuts.

The only other Spanish university making the top 200 was the University of Barcelona while the best internationally was Harvard, USA, at number one and Cambridge, UK, at number five.

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9 COMMENTS

  1. It’s pretty much a fact that if you want to excel in higher education then don’t get educated in Spain. Every international school that I know of is almost full to the brim with Spanish students tying to get an English education so that they can get an overseas University place and/or career. It’s classic BDS syndrome: Brain Drain Spain.

    • Fred, there was a debate on English T.V regarding education and the suggestion was that not enough people were taking an apprenticeship in learning a trade where in some cases can earn more then someone that has been to uni. Plumbers, bricklayers and electricians are always needed and I bet you don’t repair your washing machine when it breaks down. Each and everyone to their own I suppose. Just a thought. lol

    • Well, that might be true for other degrees (although I doubt it), but there are only 3 universities in the UK, 2 in Switzerland and 1 in Germany that are better than computer science in Granada. So basically there are few universities (namely: 41) in the world where you can get a better education.

  2. Jacko, I constantly hear this university is a waste of time argument, how higher education and degrees are all a waste of time and people could be getting jobs and experience etc. It’s not a coincidence that it nearly always came from people who never entered the higher education system. Of course plumbers and bricklayers are essential, but you conveniently forget about all the science and technology that underlies those professions. That washing machine was built by engineers and scientists, and is powered by a reactor somewhere, manned by engineers and built by scientists, and the water used in the machine is cleaned by a system designed by scientists and constructed by engineers. Likewise, buildings need architects to design them, and the construction process requires highly skilled engineers and the use of complex materials. Those people all required a higher education. So, does Spain want to be remembered as a nation of freelance plumbers and builders, or a nation of scientists and engineers? Easy answer to that one.

    You didn’t give your reply much thought did you, and you know what I’m going to say next about your flawed argument don’t you? Yes – lol.

  3. I did go through the UK higher education system and spent one year of the degree abroad in France and Spain. At the time (over 20 years ago I admit!), my degree was a joke compared the amount of work the students in both France and Spain had to do. I think the language plays a much larger role in the popularity of overseas universities than people talk about – it is not only the quality of the education.

    The ‘market’ is so international that the ability to communicate and work in the most popular language is important. That does not mean Spain, or other countries, do not have well-qualified engineers and scientists. I looked at the website and could not find what they base their rankings on.

    Higher education is not a waste of time, but it is not the right path for everyone. There needs to be much more diversity in the paths available after school instead of making university out to be the goal for everyone.

  4. The article doesn’t really surprise me, and it’s well known that the UK is a sought after destination for University quals. as well as for jobs and the reason why so many young Spaniards are now working in the UK. Maybe they’re buying new cars in Spain and driving them to UK knowing they can afford them at last!!

  5. Guess which country dominates the business school listing in Europe? Spain – yes that’s right. They have three of the top ten in Europe. Funnily enough the whiners never seem to bring up that particular fact. Or that British banks need to keep being bailed out by spanish banks. Santander saved a few high street banks a few years back, and lately Sabadell has taken over TSB

  6. Squiddy, your whining is misdirected and off-topic again as this article and debate is not about business schools, or banks for that matter, it is about University education. As for Spanish banks, with the exception of a few, what an overall disaster that has been – just pop down your high street to see all the empty shells rotting away. If Spain has such great business skills, why can’t they fix their country, which has appalling business acumen in many key sectors e.g. the mafia-esque electricity and telephone companies to name two off the top of my head.

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