Students on Top of the World
Some years ago there was a ranking of the tallest university buildings around the world. It was, as these things always are, more than a little controversial. There were quite a few challenges and appeals and dark mutterings about judicial reviews. But, despite the external pressure and lobbying, this particular league table has stood the test of time.
The fundamental criteria remain unchanged and the tallest university buildings in the world, as defined by Wikipedia, are here assessed as having an occupiable height that is 90% devoted to classroom, research, and educational administration use. Student residential accommodation does not count.
Here is the top 20 then and with all of them soaring to well over 100m they certainly offer the opportunity for a genuinely higher educational experience for students. Things can get messy when the lift breaks down though.
| Ranking | Building | University | Height (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1) | Main Building | Lomonosov Moscow State University | 240 m |
| 2 (2) | Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower | Multiple, Tokyo | 204 m |
| 3 (-) | IE Tower | IE University, Madrid | 180m |
| 4 (3) | Mode Gakuen Spiral Towers | Multiple, Nagoya | 170 m |
| 5 (4) | Cathedral of Learning | University of Pittsburgh | 163 m |
| 6 (5) | Cathedral of Learning | Assumption University of Thailand | 159 m |
| 7 (6) | Wabash Building | Roosevelt University | 143m |
| 8 (7) | Guang Hua Tower | Fudan University | 142m |
| 9 (-) | Zhixin Building (Block A) | Shandong University | 139m |
| 10 (8) | Shinjuku Building | Kogakuin University | 133 m |
| 11 (9) | STEC Information Building | Kogakuin University | 124 m |
| 12 (10) | Boissonade Tower | Hosei University | 122 m |
| 13 (11) | Academy of Sciences Headquarters | Russian Academy of Sciences | 120 m |
| 14 (12) | UTS Tower | University of Technology, Sydney | 120 m |
| 15 (13) | Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning | University of Toronto | 119 m |
| 16 (14) | Liberty Tower | Meiji University | 119 m |
| 17 (15) | Torre de la Universidad Laboral | Universidad Laboral de Gijón | 117 m |
| 18 (16) | 25 Park Place | Georgia State University | 115 m |
| 19 (17) | Erasmus MC Faculteitsgebouw | Erasmus MC | 114 m |
| 20(-) | ASEEC Tower | Airlangga University | 112m |
Excitingly there are three new entries into the top 20 including a striking Spanish offering. The top two remain unchanged though and the distinctive Moscow State University building remains firmly at the top of the university height heap.
The tallest UK university according to the data sits a long way off the pace with the University of Sheffield coming in at 53=, down a couple of places since last time, thanks to the Arts Tower.
And just to remind everyone that the University of Warwick’s presence in the Shard, although very impressive and with excellent views, doesn’t quite meet the criteria (and the 17th floor is a long way from the top).
The quality of this ranking can’t get much higher I am sure we will all agree.
The Wonderful (& Frightening) World of HE 
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