Uppsala University in the world’s top 100
Uppsala University is placed in the top 100 for the first time since 2017, when it was ranked 98th. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
Uppsala University has once again been recognised as one of the world’s top 100 universities. In the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2026, Uppsala University is ranked 93rd, an improvement of 10 places compared with last year’s ranking.
Sweden has three institutions among the top 100 universities in the world in the latest QS World University Rankings: Lund University in 72nd place, KTH Royal Institute of Technology in 78th place and Uppsala University in 93rd place. Uppsala University is placed in the top 100 for the first time since 2017, when it was ranked 98th.
The ranking is based on nine different indicators and Swedish higher education institutions perform better than many European and global peers. Only six countries have all their ranked universities in the top 500: The Netherlands (13 universities), New Zealand (8), Sweden (8), Denmark (5), Qatar (2) and Luxembourg (1).
Sweden best at sustainability
In terms of the Sustainability indicator, Sweden is the best in the world, followed by New Zealand and Canada. All Swedish higher education institutions are among the top 350 in the world in this area. Lund University ranks highest (3), followed by Uppsala University (26), the University of Gothenburg (36) and KTH (66).
Compared to last year’s ranking, Uppsala University has improved in the indicators that are given most weight, such as Academic Reputation, Citations per Faculty, Employer Reputation and Faculty Student Ratio. On the other hand, the University has lost ground in other indicators linked to internationalisation and sustainability, though Uppsala and Swedish higher education institutions in general perform well in these indicators.
Ranked highly in international networks
For example, five Swedish universities feature in the top 150 in International Research Network, making Sweden third best in the world in this area.
“Sweden’s higher education ecosystem is a hub of excellence. This is shown in the QS 2026 World University Rankings, where Uppsala University returns to the global top 100 for the first time in almost a decade,” says Ben Sowter, QS Senior Vice President in a press release.
The QS World University Rankings 2026 evaluates over 1,500 universities across 106 countries and territories and is the most comprehensive edition to date. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) tops the list for the 14th consecutive year, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University.
Annica Hulth
Quick facts about the QS World University Rankings 2026
- MIT retains its tops position for the 14th year, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University.
- The United States remains the most represented system, with 192 universities.
- In Germany, more universities are improving than declining.
- Italy enters the global top 100 for the first time, with Politecnico di Milano in 98th place.
- China continues its ascent. Peking University retains its 14th place, while Tsinghua University climbs to 17th and Fudan University moves up nine places to 30th.
Nine indicators
The QS World University Rankings 2026 are based on a weighted index of nine indicators:
- Citations per Faculty
- Employer Reputation
- Employment Outcomes
- International Faculty Ratio
- International Research Network
- International Student Diversity
- International Student Ratio
- Faculty Student Ratio
- Sustainability