2025 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments

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.(See full Methodology)

Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments

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
2	University of Southern Denmark University of Southern Denmark Department of Sport Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics	78.5	62.7
3	Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Norwegian School of Sport Sciences	76.6	51.3
4	University of Verona University of Verona Sport, Mountains and Health Research Centre (Ce.Ri.S.M.) Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences	69.8	88.5
5	University of Copenhagen University of Copenhagen Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports Institute of Sports Medicine Institute of Sports Medicine	67.6	57.2
6	Victoria University Victoria University College of Sport, Health & Engineering College of Sport, Health & Engineering Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL) Institute for Health and Sport (IHES) Institute for Health and Sport (IHES)	64.9	73.0
7	Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences	64.4	87.2
8	NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science Centre for Elite Sports Research (SenTIF)	62.2	43.3
9	Ghent University Ghent University Department of Movement and Sport Science	62.0	25.5
10	University of Cape Town University of Cape Town Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre	59.5	19.6
11	Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology School of Exercise and Nutrition Science	59.3	25.9
12	Federal University of Santa Catarina Federal University of Santa Catarina School of Sports School of Sports Sports Centre Sports Centre	58.3	19.8
13	Curtin University Curtin University Exercise and Sport Science Program Exercise and Sport Science Program	57.3	18.0
14	Anglia Ruskin University Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences	56.9	26.9
15	Loughborough University Loughborough University School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences	56.7	74.6
16	University of Granada University of Granada Faculty of Sport Sciences Faculty of Sport Sciences	56.2	66.9
17	University of Victoria University of Victoria School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education	54.2	13.9
18	Griffith University Griffith University Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work	53.8	14.2
19	Finis Terrae University Finis Terrae University School of Kinesiology School of Kinesiology	53.3	5.8
19	University of Sydney University of Sydney Exercise and Sport Science Major Exercise and Sport Science Major Exercise, Health and Performance Research Group	53.3	10.8
19	La Trobe University La Trobe University Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Sport La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre	53.3	73.6
22	Federal University of Santa Maria Federal University of Santa Maria Center for Physical Education and Sports	53.0	6.8
23	University of Bristol University of Bristol Centre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences	52.6	7.8
23	Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai University of Sport Shanghai University of Sport	52.6	99.1
25	University of Jyvaskyla University of Jyvaskyla Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences	51.9	58.3
26	Technical University of Munich Technical University of Munich Department Health and Sport Sciences Department Health and Sport Sciences	51.6	61.3
27	University of Magdeburg University of Magdeburg Institute of Sport Science Institute of Sport Science	51.3	7.7
28	University of New Brunswick University of New Brunswick Faculty of Kinesiology Faculty of Kinesiology	50.8	6.7
29	Laval University Laval University Department of Kinesiology Department of Kinesiology	50.3	9.8
30	European University of Madrid European University of Madrid Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Sports Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Sports	50.2	40.9

* Institutions within the same rank range are listed alphabetically.

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GRSSSD Methodology

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