Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments (GRSSSD)

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 2025 list, 15 universities are sports universities.

Explore GRSSSD Methodology

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	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	56.1
2	University of Copenhagen University of Copenhagen Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports Institute of Sports Medicine Institute of Sports Medicine	76.4	72.9	48.3	84.4	79.4	69.1
3	Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences	73.9	62.4	43.8	89.5	72.5	69.9
4	University of Verona University of Verona Sport, Mountains and Health Research Centre (Ce.Ri.S.M.) Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences	73.5	99.8	53.0	67.7	78.7	57.4
5	Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences	68.6	95.7	47.1	62.7	71.5	63.6
6	University of Southern Denmark University of Southern Denmark Department of Sport Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics	66.4	65.4	43.0	83.9	53.4	71.5
7	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)	63.2	76.6	38.3	63.6	66.6	60.2
8	Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science Centre for Elite Sports Research (SenTIF)	61.6	47.4	41.6	100.0	35.7	51.1
9	Loughborough University Loughborough University School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences	61.1	83.2	38.6	59.1	64.4	53.1
10	Curtin University Curtin University School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science	58.1	38.7	35.2	100.0	30.9	54.0
11	La Trobe University La Trobe University Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Sport La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre	57.0	74.4	32.0	54.7	62.4	54.9
12	Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology School of Exercise and Nutrition Science	56.1	28.9	41.0	100.0	24.4	51.8
13	University of Extremadura University of Extremadura Faculty of Sports Sciences Faculty of Sports Sciences	55.3	39.3	42.4	100.0	13.4	64.3
14	University of Granada University of Granada Faculty of Sport Sciences Faculty of Sport Sciences	53.4	67.7	30.2	56.8	47.9	68.8
15	University of Jyvaskyla University of Jyvaskyla Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences	52.0	64.5	26.5	52.3	52.2	66.2
16	The University of Queensland The University of Queensland School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences	51.4	64.0	26.9	53.6	50.3	61.8
17	Anglia Ruskin University Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences	51.3	32.4	20.2	79.4	31.0	86.3
17	Ghent University Ghent University Department of Movement and Sport Science	51.3	33.4	22.0	83.7	30.0	72.4
19	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	50.0	62.8	26.9	54.5	49.0	51.1
20	Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool John Moores University School of Sport and Exercise Sciences School of Sport and Exercise Sciences	49.2	52.8	24.8	59.8	40.4	67.3
21	The University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health	48.9	23.0	17.4	96.2	21.2	57.3
22	University of Birmingham University of Birmingham School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences	48.5	53.5	25.5	60.8	38.1	62.9
23	Technical University of Munich Technical University of Munich Department of Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Department of Sport and Health Sciences Department of Sport and Health Sciences	47.4	61.4	23.5	48.7	47.7	55.8
24	University College Dublin University College Dublin Institute of Sport and Health Institute of Sport and Health	47.3	39.0	20.5	67.1	35.9	63.4
25	The University of Calgary The University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology Faculty of Kinesiology	46.7	61.8	24.9	51.4	41.2	56.9
26	Northeastern University (Boston) Northeastern University (Boston) Department of Physicak Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences	46.0	12.3	25.1	100.0	9.5	49.1
27	German Sport University Cologne German Sport University Cologne German Sport University Cologne German Sport University Cologne	44.7	71.2	25.5	45.6	38.6	52.4
28	University of Sydney University of Sydney Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science Exercise, Health and Performance Research Group	44.2	14.4	11.5	100.0	12.3	48.7
29	University of Bristol University of Bristol Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences	43.9	11.2	11.1	100.0	12.2	49.5
30	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Kinesiology and Community Health Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism	43.7	43.6	22.3	65.1	33.0	35.2

* Institutions within the same rank range are listed alphabetically.

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