ºÚÁÏÉç has jumped 20 places to 401 in the latest world university rankings.
UL is now ranked 401 in the world according to the World University Rankings 2026 by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), which have just been announced.
This places UL in the top 3% of universities worldwide with the University also ranked in fifth place in Ireland, thanks, in part, to a significant jump in the rating for the institution’s academic reputation.
More than 1,500 institutions in 106 countries were included in the survey, which ranked the institutions across the five broad indicators of Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Global Engagement, Learning Experience, and Sustainability.
It is the third year in a row that UL has improved its standing globally against the backdrop of increased competition from universities and discussions around long-term funding for the sector.
UL’s improved ranking is due to better performances in academic and employer reputations, citations, faculty-student ratio, and the international aspect of faculty and student bodies.
Acting UL President Professor Shane Kilcommins said: “This significant rise in the QS World University Rankings is a proud moment for ºÚÁÏÉç and a testament to the dedication of our entire community. To be ranked 401 globally and fifth in Ireland is not just a reflection of academic excellence - it is a recognition of the public good that a university like UL delivers every day.
“Universities are engines of progress, and at UL, we are deeply committed to research that addresses real-world challenges, to teaching that empowers future leaders, and to partnerships that strengthen our region and beyond. Our improved standing, now in the top 3% of universities worldwide, demonstrates the growing impact of our research, the strength of our global reputation, and the value of our inclusive, international outlook.
“This achievement, especially in a time of global uncertainty and increased competition, underscores the resilience and ambition of our staff and students. It also highlights the importance of sustained investment in higher education as a driver of innovation, economic development, and societal wellbeing. We will continue to build on this momentum to ensure UL remains a beacon of excellence, opportunity, and impact for the Mid-West region and the world.â€
UL Vice President Research and Innovation Professor Kevin Ryan said: “It is very satisfying to see that UL is continuing to improve in the rankings in what is a challenging time for higher education.
“While the rankings have their limitations, this result is an independent validation of the work taking place across the University – in research which is having an impact on societies around the world, and in teaching which is helping to prepare graduates to be active and globally engaged citizens ready to tackle the major societal challenges.
“I am particularly pleased to see our score for academic reputation improve. One of our strategic goals in our research strategy Wisdom for Action is to champion excellent research and contribute towards global challenges.
“Being ranked 401 is of huge benefit as we continue to attract the best academics from around the world to UL to help innovate and push the boundaries in research, where excellence and diversity are championed.â€
Separately, UL remains as one of the best performing universities in the world in a new impact ranking of more than 2,300 universities.
The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings are a global performance benchmark which measure the positive societal impact the university is having in contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
UL is ranked in the top 50 in the world in five of the individual SDGs and 76th overall.
UL is second in Ireland and one of only two Irish universities in the world’s Top 100 and is in the top 3% of higher education institutions worldwide despite moving from 61 last year to 76 overall this year.