The Characteristics of First Class Agricultural-Related Universities in the World University Rankings——Based on Research of US News, QS and ARWU University Rankings

[Purpose/Significance] To understand the characteristics of the first class agricultural-related universities. [Method/Process] The changes of the overall ranking and agricultural discipline ranking of top 10 and top 50 agricultural-related universities from 2017 to 2019 in US News, QS and Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) University Rankings were analyzed, respectively. [Results/Conclusions] (1) most top 10 agricultural-related universities are lower-ranked, with 2/3 ranked outside of top 100, (2) top 10 agricultural-related universities' rankings are not stable, and only four universities, Cornell University, Wageningen University & Research, California University Davis and China Agricultural University are listed as top 10 agricultural universities in all three rankings, (3) top 10 agricultural-related universities come from more countries than top 10 universities do, and Chinese universities have better performance in agriculture than in other fields, and (4) numbers and position of selected fields by university rankings have more influence on overall ranking than numbers of students and teachers and their ratio. Chinese universities which take agriculture as their main field should strengthen their expertise in agricultural-related disciplines, establish new disciplines with characteristics and improve their international influence.