About Bielefeld University:

Bielefeld University was founded in 1969 with an explicit research assignment and a mission to provide high-quality research-oriented teaching. With far-reaching aims to reform nearly every area of higher education, the University has made valuable contributions to educational reform in Germany and upholds its interdisciplinary, innovative and reform-oriented character to this day. The University encompasses 13 faculties covering a broad spectrum of disciplines in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and technology. With more than 24,000 students in 115 degree courses and around 2,750 staff members (including 269 professors and lecturers as well as 1,390 academic staff) it is one of Germany's medium-sized universities. Since its foundation, Bielefeld University has been distinguished by an emphasis on interdisciplinarity and has been guided by the principle of its official motto "Transcending Boundaries - between disciplines and scientific cultures, between research and teaching, and between science and society". The Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF), one of the most renowned institutes for advanced study in the world, is an institutional symbol of this cross-disciplinary excellence in research. In general, a culture of communication has evolved that is characterised by openness to new and unconventional ideas, and this has significantly contributed to the success of the University. Bielefeld University's research strengths are reflected regularly in rankings such as the German Research Foundation's (DFG) Funding Atlas, the Centre for Higher Education's CHE Research Ranking, and the Humboldt Ranking of popularity among international visiting academics. DFG's Funding Atlas 2015 ranks Bielefeld University 8th in Germany relative to subject structure and the number of professors and 4th relative to the number of research staff. In the renowned Times Higher Education World University Rankings (2016), Bielefeld University is Number 22 among the top universities under 50 years old in the world, making it Number 4 in Germany.



World University Rankings

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
World University Rankings - - - - - - - - - - 551-600 551-600 551-600 551-600 551-600 551-600 651-700 651-700

By Fields

Field 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Agriculture - 226 289 - - - - - - 401-450 351-400 401-450 451-500 401-450 451-500 451-500 -
Engineering - - - - - - - - - 451-500 451-500 451-500 - - - - -
Life Sciences - - - - - - - - - 451-500 451-500 451-500 451-500 - - - -
Medicine - - - - - - - - - - 401-450 351-400 301-350 351-400 301-350 451-500 351-400
Natural Sciences 282 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Social Sciences - - - - - - - - - 401-450 401-450 401-450 451-500 - 451-500 - -

By Subjects

Subject 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Agricultural Sciences - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Biology & Biochemistry - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chemistry - - - - - - 451-500 451-500 451-500 451-500 - - - -
Chemical Engineering - - - - - 222 - - - - - - - -
Civil Engineering - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Clinical Medicine - - - - - - - - 301-350 244 235 210 248 215
Computer Science - 248 286 - - - 401-450 451-500 - - - - - -
Economics & Business - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Electrical Engineering - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Environment / Ecology - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Geosciences - - 293 262 - - - - - - - - - -
Immunology - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Materials Science - - - - - - - - - 401-450 - - - -
Mathematics 142 179 159 188 202 221 246 238 202 237 249 211 223 257
Mechanical Engineering 173 257 193 238 213 121 160 196 199 271 - - - 278
Microbiology - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Molecular Biology & Genetics - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Neuroscience & Behavior - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pharmacology & Toxicolog - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Physics 290 300 - - - - 401-450 451-500 451-500 451-500 - - - -
Plant & Animal Science 189 158 164 165 167 192 237 218 276 - 284 - - -
Psychiatry / Psychology - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Social Sciences, General - - - - - - - - 351-400 351-400 451-500 451-500 451-500 401-450
Space Science - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Energy Science & Engineering - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Environmental Science & Engineering - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Biomedical Engineering - - - - - - - - - - - - - -