The annual list, compiled by consulting firm ShanghaiRankings, is based on criteria such as research output, research influence, international collaboration, research quality and international academic awards.

In terms of its world ranking, the University of Luxembourg found itself in the same bracket as the universities of Québec, Trieste and Udine. It also ranked 201-300 in education, political science, electrical and electronic engineering, computer science engineering, biological sciences and human biological sciences.

Harvard University took the top spot for the 19th year in a row with Stanford and Cambridge coming in second and third respectively.

Same as last year, the top 10 was made up entirely of US and UK universities. The top 20 was also dominated by English-speaking institutions with just a single one being not American or British. France’s Paris-Saclay University ranked 13th with three other French universities in the top 100: PSL (Paris Sciences et Lettres), at 38th, the Sorbonne at 35th and the University of Paris at 73rd.

Two Belgian universities also ranked in the top 100, both of them Flemish: Ghent University found itself (71) and KU Leuven (87). Germany also saw three of its universities rank in the top 100: Heidelberg University (57), University of Munich (48), Technical University of Munich (52), University of Bonn (84).