every two years, odd-numbered years

Since 2006, the research performance of economics departments in German-speaking countries has been analysed every two years, based on the academic journal publications by its research staff. The Swiss Institute for Business Cycle Research at the ETH Zurich and DICE (University of Düsseldorf) analyse more than 1800 academic journals for the assessment on behalf of the WirtschaftsWoche, which helps to determine the final ranking of departments and institutes. The WiSo Faculty reached 2023 the seventh place among German-speaking universities (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). That means it is currently in fourth place among German universities. (Source: WirtschaftsWoche VWL-Forschungsranking 2023)

Ranking positions of researchers of the WiSo Faculty in the 2023 WirtschaftsWoche VWL-Forschungsranking (as of December 2023):

"Current Research Achievements (in the last five years)":

Prof. Dr Christopher Roth (7th place), Prof. Dr Matthias Sutter (27th place) Prof. Dr Patrick Schmitz (88th place) and Prof. Dr. Axel Ockenfels (92nd place)

"Lifetime Achievement (overall research performance)":

Prof. Dr Matthias Sutter (36th place) Prof. Dr Patrick Schmitz (44th place), Prof. Dr Axel Ockenfels (95th place), Prof. Dr Jörg Breitung (162nd place) and Prof. Dr. Felix Bierbrauer (204th place)

"Researchers under 40 (overall research performance)":

Prof. Dr Christopher Roth (5th place), Prof. Dr Dominik Wied (20th place), Prof. Dr Christoph Schottmüller (25th place) and Prof. Anna Bindler, Ph.D. (67th place)

Prof. Dr Christopher Roth is the best young economist under 40 in German-speaking countries working in Germany. Furthermore, four researchers of the University of Cologne are currently listed in the U-40 ranking, more than at any other German university.