Best Universities for Ecology in Europe

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Ecology. A graph of 125M citations received by 4.53M academic papers made by 1,358 universities in Europe was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#1 in the United Kingdom

#12 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#2 in the United Kingdom

#15 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

3. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Ecology

#1 in the Netherlands

#18 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

4. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#3 in the United Kingdom

#27 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

5. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#4 in the United Kingdom

#29 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

6. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Ecology

#1 in Switzerland

#40 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

7. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Ecology

#47 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

8. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Ecology

#2 in the Netherlands

#49 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

9. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Ecology

#53 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

10. Lund University

For Ecology

#1 in Sweden

#55 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

11. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Ecology

#57 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

12. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Sweden | Uppsala

For Ecology

#2 in Sweden

#58 in the World

Enrollment: 5,675
Founded: 1977

13. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#5 in the United Kingdom

#64 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

14. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Ecology

#67 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

15. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Ecology

#1 in France

#73 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

16. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Ecology

#2 in Switzerland

#74 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

17. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Ecology

#75 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

18. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#6 in the United Kingdom

#76 in the World

Founded: 1824

19. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#7 in the United Kingdom

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

20. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Ecology

#81 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

21. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#8 in the United Kingdom

#83 in the World

Founded: 1905

22. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Ecology

#3 in the Netherlands

#84 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

23. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Ecology

#3 in Switzerland

#86 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

24. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#9 in the United Kingdom

#88 in the World

Founded: 1904

25. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Ecology

#3 in Sweden

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

26. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Ecology

#4 in Sweden

#90 in the World

Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

27. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Ecology

#4 in the Netherlands

#96 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

28. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#10 in the United Kingdom

#101 in the World

Founded: 1948

29. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Ecology

#103 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

30. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Ecology

#5 in the Netherlands

#106 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

31. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#11 in the United Kingdom

#111 in the World

Founded: 1900

32. University of Gottingen

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Ecology

#115 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

33. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#12 in the United Kingdom

#120 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

34. University of Reading

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#13 in the United Kingdom

#121 in the World

Founded: 1892

35. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#14 in the United Kingdom

#124 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

36. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Ecology

#129 in the World

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

37. University of Oslo

For Ecology

#1 in Norway

#132 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

38. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Ecology

#133 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

39. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#15 in the United Kingdom

#134 in the World

Founded: 1963

40. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#16 in the United Kingdom

#137 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

41. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#17 in the United Kingdom

#138 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

42. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Ecology

#1 in Italy

#140 in the World

Founded: 1990

43. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Ecology

#5 in Sweden

#142 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

44. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Ecology

#2 in Italy

#143 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

45. Sapienza University of Rome

For Ecology

#3 in Italy

#147 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

46. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Ecology

#148 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

47. University of Padua

For Ecology

#4 in Italy

#151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

48. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#18 in the United Kingdom

#154 in the World

Founded: 1495

49. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Ecology

#1 in Spain

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

50. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#19 in the United Kingdom

#158 in the World

Founded: 1451

51. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway | Trondheim

For Ecology

#2 in Norway

#164 in the World

Enrollment: 42,031
Founded: 1996

52. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Ecology

#4 in Switzerland

#169 in the World

Enrollment: 18,576

53. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Ecology

#170 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

54. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

France | Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

For Ecology

#2 in France

#173 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

55. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Ecology

#175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 38,043
Founded: 1818

56. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Ecology

#6 in the Netherlands

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

57. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Greece | Thessaloniki

For Ecology

#1 in Greece

#178 in the World

Enrollment: 92,090
Founded: 1925

58. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Ecology

#180 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 29,178
Founded: 1911

59. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Ecology

#2 in Spain

#183 in the World

Enrollment: 30,926

60. Federico II University of Naples

Italy | Campania

For Ecology

#5 in Italy

#187 in the World

Enrollment: 73,553
Founded: 1224

61. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#20 in the United Kingdom

#188 in the World

Founded: 1829

62. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Ecology

#7 in the Netherlands

#190 in the World

Founded: 1923

63. University of Montpellier

France | Occitanie

For Ecology

#3 in France

#196 in the World

Enrollment: 46,578
Founded: 1289

64. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Ecology

#6 in Italy

#202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

65. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#21 in the United Kingdom

#204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

66. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Ecology

#1 in Russia

#209 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

67. Aalborg University

Denmark | Aalborg

For Ecology

#210 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 20,353
Founded: 1974

68. Complutense University of Madrid

For Ecology

#3 in Spain

#216 in the World

Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

69. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Ecology

#22 in the United Kingdom

#220 in the World

Founded: 1997

70. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

71. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#23 in the United Kingdom

#225 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

72. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Enrollment: 23,321
Founded: 2009

73. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#24 in the United Kingdom

#229 in the World

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

74. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Ecology

#230 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

75. Kiel University

Germany | Schleswig-Holstein

For Ecology

#233 in the World

Enrollment: 27,468
Founded: 1665

76. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Ecology

#3 in Norway

#234 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

77. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Ecology

#8 in the Netherlands

#235 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

78. Polytechnic University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Ecology

#7 in Italy

#237 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 48,645
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1863

79. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Ecology

#8 in Italy

#242 in the World

Founded: 1321

80. RWTH Aachen University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Ecology

#243 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

81. KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden | Stockholm

For Ecology

#6 in Sweden

#244 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 14,278
Founded: 1827

82. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Ecology

#10 in Germany

#247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,608
Founded: 1948

83. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Ecology

#249 in the World

Founded: 2003

84. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Ecology

#253 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,321
Founded: 1854

85. Catholic University of Louvain

Belgium | Louvain-la-Neuve

For Ecology

#254 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1425

86. Umea University

For Ecology

#7 in Sweden

#256 in the World

Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

87. University of Freiburg

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#11 in Germany

#260 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 23,938
Founded: 1457

88. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Ecology

#4 in Spain

#261 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

89. Chalmers University of Technology

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Ecology

#8 in Sweden

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Enrollment: 10,912
Founded: 1829

90. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#25 in the United Kingdom

#265 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

91. Technical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Ecology

#12 in Germany

#266 in the World

Enrollment: 35,149
Founded: 1946

92. University of Granada

Spain | Granada

For Ecology

#5 in Spain

#267 in the World

Founded: 1531

93. Eindhoven University of Technology

Netherlands | Eindhoven

For Ecology

#9 in the Netherlands

#268 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1956

94. University of Pisa

Italy | Tuscany

For Ecology

#9 in Italy

#269 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 49,108
Founded: 1343

95. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#26 in the United Kingdom

#270 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

96. Technical University of Catalonia

Spain | Barcelona

For Ecology

#6 in Spain

#271 in the World

Enrollment: 29,812

97. University of Bayreuth

Germany | Bavaria

For Ecology

#13 in Germany

#276 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 12,773
Founded: 1972

98. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#27 in the United Kingdom

#279 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

99. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#28 in the United Kingdom

#284 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

100. Queen's University Belfast

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Ecology

#29 in the United Kingdom

#287 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

Environmental Science subfields in Europe

Agricultural Science937

Earth science and Geophysics876

Environmental Chemistry830

Environmental Engineering679

Environmental Management1026

Geography and Cartography1420

Geotechnical Engineering812

Hydrology and Water resources management264

Meteorology and Atmospheric Science1068

Mining Engineering288

Oceanography1059

Paleontology1344

Petrology and Geochemistry740

Urban and Regional planning583

Wildlife and Fisheries Management & Conservation731