2021 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments

In 2016, ShanghaiRanking published this ranking for the first time, adopting a unique methodology highlighting the performance of more than 300 universities with sport-related units. This ranking allows sport-related institutions and units to compare with similar peers other than multi-disciplinary universities in a specific subject. The top 300 universities are listed based on the measurement of publication, citation, citations per publication, top 25% journal publications, and internationally collaborated publications. The bibliometric data is collected from the Web of Science database with a time window of five years. Among the top 300 in the 2024 list, 12 universities are sports universities.(Methodology)

Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments

300 Institutions

World Rank	Institution	Total Score	PUB CIT CPP TOP IC
1	Deakin University Deakin University School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition	100.0	95.4
2	Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences	91.7	72.9
3	University of Copenhagen University of Copenhagen Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports Institute of Sports Medicine, Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS)	90.9	91.6
4	University of Verona University of Verona Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences	86.1	100.0
5	Loughborough University Loughborough University School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences	76.1	93.6
6	Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences	72.0	96.3
7	The University of Queensland The University of Queensland School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences	69.7	69.3
8	University of Jyvaskyla University of Jyvaskyla Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences	68.0	69.7
9	Victoria University Victoria University College of Sport and Exercise Science College of Sport and Exercise Science Institute for Health and Sport (IHES) Institute for Health and Sport (IHES)	67.8	78.3
10	The University of Calgary The University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology Faculty of Kinesiology	67.5	64.7
11	University of Southern Denmark University of Southern Denmark Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics	65.7	64.6
12	Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool John Moores University School of Sport and Exercise Sciences School of Sport and Exercise Sciences	59.6	60.0
13	University of British Columbia University of British Columbia Allan Mcgavin Sports Medical Center Allan Mcgavin Sports Medical Center School of Health and Exercise Science School of Health and Exercise Science School of Kinesiology School of Kinesiology	58.2	70.9
14	Curtin University Curtin University School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science	57.9	57.0
15	Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science Centre for Elite Sports Research (SenTIF)	57.3	39.8
16	German Sport University Cologne German Sport University Cologne German Sport University Cologne German Sport University Cologne	57.1	81.4
16	University of Birmingham University of Birmingham School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences	57.1	54.1
18	Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology School of Exercise and Nutrition Science	54.6	30.5
19	Ghent University Ghent University Department of Movement and Sport Science	53.7	39.0
20	University of South Carolina - Columbia University of South Carolina - Columbia Department of Exercise Science Department of Exercise Science College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management	52.8	44.3
21	La Trobe University La Trobe University Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Sport La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport	52.4	58.6
22	York University York University School of Kinesiology and Health Science	52.1	39.5
23	University of Granada University of Granada Faculty of Sports Sciences Faculty of Sports Sciences	51.9	56.8
24	University of Alberta University of Alberta Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation	51.4	44.8
25	University of Florida University of Florida Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology Department of Tourism,Recreation and Sport Management	51.3	36.4
25	University of Sao Paulo University of Sao Paulo School of Physical Education and Sport School of Physical Education and Sport School of Physical Education and Sport of Ribeirao Preto	51.3	58.4
27	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Kinesiology and Community Health Department of Recreation,Sport and Toursim	51.2	56.1
28	University of Extremadura University of Extremadura Faculty of Sport Science Faculty of Sport Science	49.4	21.3
29	The University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health	48.6	31.0
30	University of Waterloo University of Waterloo Department of Kinesiology Department of Kinesiology	47.7	41.0

* Institutions within the same rank range are listed alphabetically.

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Methodology-Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments 2021