The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has ranked 53 out of the top 500 universities in the world.
The 2012 Academic Ranking of World Universities has given the HU its highest rating since rankings were first introduced in 2003.
Two other Israeli universities also made the list with Haifa’s Technion Israel Institute of Technology ranking 78th and Rehovot’s Weizmann Institute of Science coming in at 93rd out of the total 1200 universities considered.
Making it onto the ARWU list, Tel Aviv University ranked in top 101-150 category while Ben Gurion and Bar Ilan Universities came within the 301-400 group.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “I am especially happy over the high ranking of Israeli institutions.
“This is another sign that Israel is continuing to establish itself as a global high-tech power. My government will continue to invest in education – from pre-school to higher education.”
Professor Menahem Ben-Sasson, the HU President, said: “I am proud that several of Israel’s research universities are ranked among the world’s top achievers.”
The list named the HU as the world’s 16th best in mathematics, 27th in computer science and 38th in natural sciences.
Topping the ARWU list was Harvard University, with Cambridge and Oxford respectively coming in fifth and 10th place.
