The Wroclaw Medical University was ranked 13th in the world in the latest US News Best Global Universities 2025-2026 ranking in the category of heart and circulatory system diseases – among over 2,250 universities classified. This distinction confirms Wrocław’s position as one of the key cardiology centers on the map of world science.
Behind this success is the Institute of Heart Diseases (IChS), operating within the structures of the University Hospital and the Wroclaw Medical University, which in just a few years has grown into a scientific and clinical pillar of the university.
The ranking, based exclusively on hard bibliometric data from the Web of Science database – such as citations, quality of publications or the scale of international cooperation – shows that it is Wrocław cardiology that currently sets standards in Central Europe.
Citation leaders in scientific publications
The Institute ranked second in the world in terms of publication citations ( Normalized Citation Impact ), ahead of renowned academic and clinical centers from Europe and North America. In terms of the share of works among the 1% and 10% of most frequently cited articles, Wrocław cardiology also found itself in the top world, which is evidence not only of the intensity, but above all of the quality of research conducted at IChS.
The unit collaborates with the best research teams from the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, France and Canada and is a model combination of a modern clinical approach with scientific activity, the effects of which have a real impact on the development of global medicine. The synergy between science and clinical practice makes the Institute of Heart Diseases the most scientifically recognizable research area of WMU.
Research quality comes first
– Polish cardiology should not have complexes, quite the opposite. It is a national source of pride, which we prove at the Wroclaw Medical University, the best Polish medical university in the world rankings. We have an incomparably smaller team and budget than most universities included in the list, but by putting the quality of research first, we have found a way to eliminate these differences – says Prof. Piotr Ponikowski, Rector of the Wroclaw Medical University, Director of the Institute of Heart Diseases. – I am glad that the next generation of my colleagues is starting to sit on bodies deciding on European guidelines, is organizing research in cooperation with partners from the best universities in the world, is planning cooperation with international corporations as part of multi-center clinical trials. Only by operating on a large scale, in international groups, are we able to build visibility and recognition. Today, the key challenge for the institute is to create a working environment that will make young, ambitious scientists from all over the world want to start their career path here. The best research teams in Europe and the USA are based on this model. We are currently planning to create a scientific and clinical consortium with universities from Great Britain and Germany, which will become a center of excellence in the comprehensive treatment of cardiomyopathy in this part of Europe. We are aware that today scientific advantage is built by interdisciplinary teams and this is how we want to work, and this ranking will undoubtedly help us in this.
Creators of world treatment standards
The team led by Prof. Piotr Ponikowski actively participates in international clinical trials of fundamental importance, the results of which are published in prestigious journals and enter the global treatment standards.
In addition to its scientific activity, the Institute of Heart Diseases is also a leader in clinical innovation. Although it is the youngest transplant center in the country, in just 4 years, experts from the Institute have performed over 200 heart transplants and 80 long-term left ventricular support systems, becoming a leader in this field.
A few weeks ago, the team was the first in Poland to perform – after completing international clinical trials – a transcatheter implantation of the Tendyne mitral valve on a beating heart, without the need to open the chest. This is an example of an effective combination of knowledge from cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, echocardiographers and anaesthesiologists. The institute also uses modern methods of treating heart rhythm disorders, including the treatment of atrial fibrillation using electroporation supported by the 3D system .
Modern philosophy of operation
The Wroclaw Medical University plans to further develop the IChS by establishing a comprehensive centre for pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, responding to the needs of the youngest patients from the Lower Silesia region and throughout Poland.
The Institute of Heart Diseases – operating for only six years – already serves as a national reference unit. Its activities are based on a modern philosophy: rapid diagnostics, immediate intervention and the shortest possible hospitalization time. Thanks to this and the interdisciplinary team, the center has gained recognition not only in scientific rankings, but also in everyday clinical practice.
