The Handelsblatt VWL Ranking is published on a biannual basis. In addition to the university ranking, rankings are also published in other relevant categories with 13 different weighting schemes: the most research-intensive economics scholars (Author Ranking), the best researchers under 40 (Young Economist), and the lifetime achievement category (Lifetime Ranking). Papers published over the last 5 years by researchers born in German-speaking countries are analyzed for the Author Ranking, while a researcher’s entire academic career to date is taken into consideration for the Lifetime Ranking. WU came in at 10th place in the 2021 ranking, moving up one place since the last ranking (2019: 11th place). Josef Zechner is ranked as the best WU researcher (Lifetime and Author Rankings). Further WU researchers included in the Lifetime and Author Rankings: Klaus Prettner, Armon Rezai, Clive Spash, Andrea Weber, Jesus Crespo-Cuaresma, and Harald Badinger. Klaus Prettner is ranked as WU’s best Young Economist. Armon Rezai, Florian Szücs, Stefanie Peer, and Harald Oberhofer are also listed in this category.

Economics rankings

According to Handelsblatt, their ranking method, which is not uncontroversial, is based on an analysis of all papers published by each university’s economists in the period from 2012-2021. The rankings were compiled by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich together with the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. First place went to the University of Zurich, followed by LMU Munich and the University of Bonn.

Details on the economics rankings