The UK is home to more innovative universities than just one other country
The UK is home to more innovative universities than any other country in Europe apart from Germany, a new ranking reveals.
World-renowned Oxford and Cambridge ranked third and eighth, respectively, in a new list compiled by Reuters. But it's Imperial College which topped the list of UK universities, coming in at number two just behind KU Leuven in Belgium.
The UK boasts 17 of the 100 most innovative universities in Europe, just shy of Germany's 24.
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Manchester, Dundee, The University of London and Edinburgh were also among the UK institutions to make the list.
The most innovative UK universities in Europe
| UK ranking | University | Overall ranking |
| 1 | Imperial College | 2 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 3 |
| 3 | Oxford | 8 |
| 4 | Manchester | 17 |
| 5 | Dundee | 18 |
| 6 | University of London | 30 |
| 7 | Edinburgh | 32 |
| 8 | Cardiff | 45 |
| 9 | Birmingham | 53 |
| 10 | Leeds | 56 |
| 11 | Sheffield | 59 |
| 12 | Nottingham | 70 |
| 13 | Southampton | 77 |
| 14 | Bristol | 81 |
| 15 | St Andrews | 82 |
| 16 | Warwick | 84 |
| 17 | Belfast | 87 |
The institutions were ranked on 10 different metrics, including published academic papers and patent filings from an initial analysis of more than 600 organisations.
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All were identified by Reuters as the best in the world producing "original research, creating useful technology and stimulating the global economy."
In the broader Times Higher Education ranking of top universities, the UK dominated.