UT System rises to No. 4 on Reuters’ list of most innovative universities

AUSTIN—The University of Texas System rose from No. 7 to No. 4 on Reuters’ ranking of the world’s most innovative universities for its efforts to advance science, invent new technologies and help drive the global economy.

According to Reuters, unlike other rankings that often rely entirely or in part on subjective surveys, its methodology relies exclusively on empirical data including patent filings and research paper citations.

The ranking lists both public and private research universities, and the UT System is the top-ranked public institution, behind Stanford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

“UT institutions and their faculty and student researchers are relentless in their drive to make discoveries that improve our quality of life and develop better treatments for devastating diseases,” Chancellor William H. McRaven said. “This ranking conveys the collective impact of UT System’s 14 institutions, the leadership of their presidents, and the transformational research conducted on their campuses.”

The UT System has $3 billion in research expenditures and also ranks 4^th globally for most U.S. patents granted. In 2015, researchers from UT’s 14 institutions were granted 191 patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. UT patents have been on the rise in recent years, nearly doubling the amount of patents granted last year compared to 2009.

In addition, over the past five years, more than 15,000 researchers at 14 institutions have produced roughly 120,000 publications focused on science, medicine, engineering, energy, transportation and business. In 2015, UT System’s Office of Innovation and Strategic Investment oversaw 874 new invention disclosures and received total gross revenue from intellectual property of $62.7 million.

 “My fellow regents and I are tremendously proud of all 14 UT institutions and the global reach of their research, discoveries and scientific advances,” Board of Regents Chairman Paul Foster said. “At the System level, we are focused on creating networks and building collaboration among UT institutions to position faculty, clinicians, researchers and entrepreneurs for the greatest possible societal impact.”

The other top 10 institutions on the Reuters’ list include: No. 5 University of Washington System; No. 6 Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology; No. 7 University of Michigan System; No. 8 University of Pennsylvania; No. 9 KU Leuven in Belgium; and No. 10 Northwestern University.

About The University of Texas System

Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research, and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With 14 institutions and an enrollment of more than 221,000, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates almost two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System’s operating budget for FY 2017 is $17.9 billion, including $3 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With more than 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and many members of the National Academies – and nearly 80,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.