Best Universities for Public Policy / Administration in Europe

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 4.06M citations received by 196K academic papers made by 590 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. London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in the United Kingdom

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 9,218
Founded: 1895

2. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in the United Kingdom

#3 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in the United Kingdom

#10 in the World

Founded: 1900

4. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in the United Kingdom

#12 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in the United Kingdom

#13 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

6. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#6 in the United Kingdom

#23 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

7. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#7 in the United Kingdom

#28 in the World

Founded: 1829

8. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Public Policy / Administration

#8 in the United Kingdom

#31 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

9. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Public Policy / Administration

#9 in the United Kingdom

#38 in the World

Founded: 1997

10. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#10 in the United Kingdom

#39 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

11. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#11 in the United Kingdom

#41 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

12. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Belgium

#42 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

13. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in the Netherlands

#47 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

14. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#12 in the United Kingdom

#54 in the World

Founded: 1905

15. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in the Netherlands

#55 in the World

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

16. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in the Netherlands

#57 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

17. University of Oslo

Norway | Oslo

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Norway

#61 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

18. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#13 in the United Kingdom

#64 in the World

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

19. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#14 in the United Kingdom

#65 in the World

Founded: 1904

20. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#15 in the United Kingdom

#68 in the World

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

21. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in the Netherlands

#72 in the World

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

22. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Public Policy / Administration

#16 in the United Kingdom

#79 in the World

Founded: 1451

23. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#17 in the United Kingdom

#81 in the World

Founded: 1948

24. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#18 in the United Kingdom

#83 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

25. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Denmark

#85 in the World

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

26. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Sweden

#87 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

27. Dublin Institute of Technology

Ireland | Dublin

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Ireland

#89 in the World

Enrollment: 20,000
Founded: 1992

28. Lund University

Sweden | Lund

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Sweden

#94 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

29. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Denmark

#97 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

30. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#19 in the United Kingdom

#103 in the World

Founded: 1963

31. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#20 in the United Kingdom

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

32. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Sweden

#108 in the World

Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

33. University of Strathclyde

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Public Policy / Administration

#21 in the United Kingdom

#109 in the World

Founded: 1964

34. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#22 in the United Kingdom

#111 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

35. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#23 in the United Kingdom

#113 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

36. University of Essex

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#24 in the United Kingdom

#114 in the World

Founded: 1964

37. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#25 in the United Kingdom

#115 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

38. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in the Netherlands

#116 in the World

Founded: 1923

39. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in Sweden

#118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1477

40. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Italy

#121 in the World

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

41. Maastricht University

Netherlands | Maastricht

For Public Policy / Administration

#6 in the Netherlands

#123 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1976

42. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#26 in the United Kingdom

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

43. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Italy

#130 in the World

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

44. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Public Policy / Administration

#7 in the Netherlands

#135 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

45. University of Kent

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#27 in the United Kingdom

#137 in the World

Founded: 1965

46. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#28 in the United Kingdom

#141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

47. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Switzerland

#142 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

48. Loughborough University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#29 in the United Kingdom

#143 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

49. Queen's University Belfast

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Public Policy / Administration

#30 in the United Kingdom

#145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

50. National Research University Higher School of Economics

Russia | Moscow

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Russia

#146 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1992

51. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#31 in the United Kingdom

#150 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

52. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Public Policy / Administration

#8 in the Netherlands

#155 in the World

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

53. Copenhagen Business School

Denmark | Frederiksberg

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Denmark

#156 in the World

Founded: 1917

54. University of Twente

Netherlands | Enschede

For Public Policy / Administration

#9 in the Netherlands

#158 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1961

55. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Public Policy / Administration

#10 in the Netherlands

#159 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

56. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#11 in the Netherlands

#160 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Enrollment: 17,378
Founded: 1927

57. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Norway

#164 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

58. Roskilde University

Denmark | Roskilde

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in Denmark

#168 in the World

Enrollment: 7,610
Founded: 1972

59. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#32 in the United Kingdom

#172 in the World

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

60. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Finland

#173 in the World

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

61. Ulster University

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Public Policy / Administration

#33 in the United Kingdom

#176 in the World

Founded: 1968

62. University of Bath

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#34 in the United Kingdom

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 18,857
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1966

63. Bocconi University

Italy | Lombardy

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Italy

#180 in the World

Founded: 1902

64. University of Tampere

Finland | Tampere

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Finland

#181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 18,400
Male:Female: 47:53
Founded: 1925

65. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Ireland

#182 in the World

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

66. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Public Policy / Administration

#12 in the Netherlands

#186 in the World

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

67. Brunel University London

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#35 in the United Kingdom

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

68. De Montfort University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#36 in the United Kingdom

#194 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

69. Paris Institute of Political Studies

France | Ile-de-France

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in France

#196 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 11,196
Founded: 1872

70. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Switzerland

#197 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

71. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Ireland

#198 in the World

Enrollment: 20,430
Founded: 1592

72. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Germany

#199 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,908
Founded: 1948

73. University of Stirling

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Public Policy / Administration

#37 in the United Kingdom

#201 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1967

74. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#38 in the United Kingdom

#203 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

75. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Public Policy / Administration

#39 in the United Kingdom

#208 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

76. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Public Policy / Administration

#40 in the United Kingdom

#210 in the World

Founded: 1495

77. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Portugal

#211 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

78. University of the West of England

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#41 in the United Kingdom

#216 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

79. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Austria

#217 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

80. Keele University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#42 in the United Kingdom

#218 in the World

Founded: 1962

81. University of Wales

United Kingdom | Wales

For Public Policy / Administration

#43 in the United Kingdom

#219 in the World

Founded: 1893

82. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Spain

#221 in the World

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

83. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Spain

#222 in the World

Enrollment: 30,926

84. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Switzerland

#229 in the World

Enrollment: 18,576

85. Aalborg University

Denmark | Aalborg

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in Denmark

#233 in the World

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

86. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Belgium

#235 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

87. University of Reading

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#44 in the United Kingdom

#236 in the World

Founded: 1892

88. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Belgium

#242 in the World

Founded: 2003

89. University of Mannheim

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Germany

#245 in the World

Enrollment: 11,532
Founded: 1907

90. University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#45 in the United Kingdom

#247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

91. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

Russia | Moscow

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Russia

#249 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1977

92. University of Hull

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#46 in the United Kingdom

#252 in the World

Founded: 1954

93. University of Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in Switzerland

#254 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 16,908

94. Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies

Switzerland | Geneva

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in Switzerland

#255 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 1,141

95. Northumbria University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#47 in the United Kingdom

#256 in the World

Founded: 1992

96. University of Geneva

Switzerland | Geneva

For Public Policy / Administration

#6 in Switzerland

#260 in the World

Enrollment: 17,744

97. Umea University

Sweden | Umea

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in Sweden

#269 in the World

Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

98. Free University of Brussels - VUB

Belgium | Brussels

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in Belgium

#271 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 11,101
Founded: 1970

99. Sheffield Hallam University

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#48 in the United Kingdom

#276 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

100. University of Surrey

United Kingdom | England

For Public Policy / Administration

#49 in the United Kingdom

#277 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in Europe

Broadcast Journalism333

Classics and Ancient History797

Communications and Public Relations949

Criminology and Criminal Justice460

Demography1120

Early Childhood Education322

Intellectual Property and Patent Law323

International Law384

International Relations and Diplomacy337

Journalism and Digital Media534

Law1437

Law Enforcement335

Library and Information science866

Linguistics1383

Media Studies489

Military science353

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution387

Occupational Safety and Health310

Philosophy1451

Political Economy469

Political Science1448

Publishing384

Radio and Television broadcasting357

Social Work337

Sociology1420

Special Education379

Sports / Exercise science446

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies1069

Urban and Regional planning658