The University of Montpellier Remains Well-Placed in the 2025 Shanghai Subject Rankings

[Press Release] - Published on December 8, 2025 in the Press Room

In August 2025, the University of Montpellier solidified its position among the world’s top 200 universities in the Shanghai General Ranking. The subject-specific rankings have just been released.UM seven times in the top 100 (five times in 2024). Through these strong results, it once again demonstrates its ability to meet international standards of excellence in research and education centered on the key pillars it promotes alongside its partners: feeding, healing, and protecting.

Published in November by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, this international ranking analyzes and ranks the world’s top universities based on a list of academic subjects. More than 50 subject areas (within five major fields: natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, medical sciences, and social sciences) are included. Based on performance criteria such as scientific publications, their impact, international reach, and the quality of their research, as well as international prizes and awards received, this ranking places the University of Montpellier among the world’s top 200 universities for the^eighth consecutive year.

The University of Montpellier Ranks Among the World’s Top 100 in 7 Subject Areas 

This latest edition of the Shanghai thematic rankings confirms the University of Montpellier’s standing among the most internationally recognized institutions in numerous fields. Ecology ranks prominently, placing^14th worldwide and first in France.

The university also demonstrates national leadership in the fields of robotics and water resources, both of which rank among the top 75 worldwide, while agricultural sciences rank second in France. These results illustrate the strength of the university’s areas of expertise, for which it is particularly well known.

Montpellier also ranks among the world’s top 100 in remote sensing (4th nationally) and in statistics and oceanography (both in the top 5 nationally). Oceanography has made significant progress compared to 2024, when it was ranked in the top 150. Other disciplines, such as food science and technology (2nd nationally) and chemistry, remain in the global top 150, confirming the diversity and strength of the university’s centers of excellence.

“I am delighted to see that, once again this year, the University of Montpellier ranks among the world’s top institutions in several major disciplines. The trends observed in the 2025 Shanghai Subject Ranking reflect the strength and continuity of our scientific excellence, which is the result of our ongoing commitment to collaborating with research organizations through our I-SITE program. These results are, above all, a reflection of the talent, hard work, and remarkable dedication of our female faculty members, Professors, and researchers—all of whom I would like to warmly congratulate ” said Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier.

The University of Montpellier also ranks highly in various international rankings

In addition to this ranking,UM strengthened its position in the THE Impact Ranking, which aims to measure higher education institutions’ commitment to and performance in sustainable development. In its^7th edition,UM its top spot among French institutions and ranks among the world’s top 101–200 institutions in the overall ranking, thanks to its long-standing commitment to sustainable development.

The University of Montpellier maintains its standing in the CWTS Leiden Ranking. This ranking, which provides important information on the scientific performance of more than 1,500 leading universities worldwide, is based on scientific publications and their citations. In the 2024 global ranking, the University of Montpellier once again confirms its scientific influence both nationally and internationally, ranking^4th nationally (the top university outside Paris) and^203rd globally.