Top 10 Universities in Europe Under 50 Years Old

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid is ranked 22^nd in the Top 50 Under 50 and joint 253^rd in the world in 2019, up 28 places from last year. Established by an act of Spanish Parliament in 1989, the university has a distinctly international profile, with a broad range of programs taught in English, and many students who come from outside of Spain, particularly at graduate level.

Formed in 2003 from a merger of three existing Belgian universities, the University of Antwerp currently has 21,100 students, 19 percent of whom are international.  Coming 17^th in the Top 50 Under 50 rankings, the University of Antwerp also ranks joint 223^rd in the world.

Antwerp is Belgium’s second-largest city, famous for its cathedral and a lively arts and entertainment scene, while its cobbled streets and riverside cafés provide a stylish contrast to its fashion-forward locals and lively club culture.

The Netherlands’ Maastricht University is ranked 15^th in this year’s Top 50 Under 50. The city of Maastricht is in the far south of the Netherlands, nestled between the Belgian and German borders – a multilingual and multinational hub which is perfect for international students.

The university itself is ranked 211^th in the QS World University Rankings 2019, and is the second-youngest institution in the Netherlands, founded in 1976.

Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna Pisa was a new entry in 2018 and is ranked 11^th in the Top 50 Under 50 and 167^th in the world, climbing 25 places this year.

It was founded in 1987 from previously existing institutions which dated back to the 18^th century, and today is considered particularly prestigious for applied sciences, as well as being well known for its strong research impact.

Next in our look at the top young universities in Europe is Finland’s Aalto University, which was previously first in Europe, but nonetheless maintains a highly respectable top 10 position in the QS Top 50 Under 50, at ninth. Located in Helsinki and Espoo, Aalto University was established in 2010 by the merger of three universities: Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics and the University of Art and Design Helsinki.

Named after prominent Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto, the university is currently ranked 140^th in the QS World University Rankings®.

Ranked eighth in the Top 50 Under 50 this year and 137^th in the world (up 40 places this year), the French CentraleSupélec was established in 2015 by the merging of two leading engineering grandes écoles: École Centrale Paris and Supélec.

CentraleSupélec is considered one of the best universities in France for engineering and technology (featuring within the top 100 for this subject area in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018) and is also known for its research.

Also the number one university in France in 2019, new entry Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University (PSL) is our top-ranked young university in Europe this year. A collegiate university, PSL was established in 2010 and is made up of nine constituent colleges, including the elite École normale supérieure (ENS Paris), a highly selective grandes école.

PSL enters the ranking this year at fourth in the Top 50 Under 50 and 50^th in the world, achieving its highest score for employer reputation.

This article was originally published in February 2014. It was last updated in June 2018 to incorporate the latest ranking results.

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