The independent metric-based evaluation institution EduRank presented its new results, according to which Medical University - Varna once again ranks first among the medical universities in Bulgaria, and third among all the universities in the country. The evaluation is based on the research achievements, reputation and influence of the University alumni. According to the same ranking, Harvard University is number one in the world, and MU - Varna is in the first quartile of World Universities.
According to EduRank, the publications of the teams of the University in the field of Medicine are the most highly rated publications, with Oncology, Immunology and Surgery having the highest impact. Research developments in the field of Public Health and Social Sciences also have a strong global impact. The most indicative are the analytical indicators over the years that exhibit the growth of scientific publication activity and a multiple increase in the number of citations of researchers' scientific works, which are currently more than 36 000. For the independent evaluator, the opinion of students is of utmost importance, and that of the students at MU - Varna has been proven high. There is no analysis of the admission of students, as this information is not public. However, it varies from 14 % to 30 % in the different study programmes, i.e. there are three to seven applicants competing for one place. By comparison, the same percentage regarding Harvard University is between 5 % and 7 %.
Recently MU - Varna has been designated Research University again on the basis on its scientometric indicators based on a national evaluation system. This evaluation is due to the investment in young scientists and teamwork with international researchers. Currently, the University is a beneficiary of programmes intended for young scientists and post-doctoral students, international scientific networks and ERA chair. Regardless of the emphasis placed on the field of Medicine, the University has also invested in parallel directions, including electronisation and artificial intelligence. Over the recent years, new study programmes have been established targeted at meeting the high-tech requirements for the development of Medicine in terms of science and practice.
Practice is of crucial importance for the programme of Medicine. Therefore, an important competitive advantage of the University is the management of a multi-profile hospital, the ownership of a specialised hospital, and the cooperative work with numerous clinical bases throughout Bulgaria. The high requirements for clinical bases intertwine science with practice and create conditions for the development of Translational Medicine, which is a prerequisite for increasing the range of research activities.
Medical University - Varna has another advantage, namely its location in the Sea Capital, a city that boasts its proven high quality of life. Students and faculty have the opportunity to work in a dynamic creative atmosphere and to create unique projects, such as the Museum of the History of Medicine, the "Sea and Health" programme, sports activities and many others. The unique, multinational family of Medical University - Varna is delighted to receive yet another high international evaluation. However, it regards this assessment as a challenge and will confidently seek new horizons for development.
EduRank.org is an independent ranking institution, based on 14 131 universities from 183 countries. It uses its own database with an index of 44 909 300 scientific publications and 1 237 541 960 citations to rank universities in 246 research topics. It adds indicators of non-academic prominence and alumni popularity in the overall ranking.
