University of Havana Ranked 59th in Latin America

University of Havana Ranked 59th in Latin America / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, 17 June 2016 — The University of Havana has been
ranked 59th on the list of the 300 Best Research Centers in Latin
America by QS Top Universities published this Tuesday. Despite an
improvement in its positions compared to last year, when it was ranked
83rd, the academic institution falls below the standards of excellence
defended by the authorities on the island.

Only two Cuban universities made it into the ranking, the other being
that of Santiago de Cuba, ranked 145th, a drop from 2015 when it ranked
141st. Left off the list were two universities which ranked between
250th and 300th last year: Cienfuegos Carlos Rafael Rodriguez and Jose
Antonio Echeverria, known as CUJAE.

Among the biggest problems faced by students at the University of Havana
is poor access to the internet. Each student receives a monthly quota of
hours for websurfing, depending on their year of study, but the low
connection speed and the age of computers in the digital information
room hinder the experience.

The list, published for the sixth consecutive year, considers five main
criteria: the impact of research and productivity, the commitment of the
teachers, the ability of graduates to get jobs, the impact on the
internet and, for the first time this year, internationalization.

Other determining factors are, according to the authors, the academic
reputation of the study center and the ratio of students to faculty.
Although the QS University Rankings for Latin America are part of the
global initiative QS World University Rankings, evaluation methods
differ according to different areas of the world, adapted to the
regional context.

Leading the classification is the University of Sao Paulo, followed by
another Brazilian center, the University of Campinas, and the Pontifical
Catholic University of Chile.

Source: University of Havana Ranked 59th in Latin America / 14ymedio –
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