Birkbeck moves up the QS Rankings for the World's best universities
The QS World University Rankings are the world’s most popular source of comparative data about university performance, including academic reputation and the impact and quality of work produced by universities; and this year evaluated over 8000 higher education institutions.
Birkbeck, University of London has jumped up the 2026 QS World University Rankings, released today by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, to be named amongst the world’s top universities- placing at position #388 from over 1500 ranked universities worldwide.
The updated ranking shows an increase of twenty places on last year’s position (#408) and reflects the quality of Birkbeck’s research, reputation and the student experience.
Birkbeck achieved near-perfect scores for its ‘international faculty ranking’ (98.9 out of 100) and ‘international students’ (98.7 out of 100) and also for the new unweighted indicator ‘international student diversity’ (98.7 out of 100). The University also achieved a strong score for its citations per faculty (79.6 out of 100).
Professor Sally Wheeler, Vice-Chancellor, “It’s great to see Birkbeck moving up the QS World University Rankings. Our firm standing in the rankings is testament to, among other things, our strong research culture and environment and the contribution these make to the quality of our teaching as well as the impact of our research.
“Birkbeck has a unique position in the higher education landscape. As the only UK university to focus on providing a high-quality research-led education that students can fit around their busy lives, we have long appealed to a diverse international audience. Our commitment remains to providing rigorous academic programmes and diverse learning experiences for students who wish ‘to do more’ in an increasingly competitive world.”
The QS World University Rankings 2026 feature 1501 institutions across 106 locations, including 90 in United Kingdom; with Birkbeck retaining its strong position in the UK at #41.
QS bases its rankings on a weighted index of indicators: Research and Discovery; Employability and Outcomes; Global Engagement; Learning Experience and Sustainability. The rankings assess institutions based on these indicators, providing prospective students, academics, and institutions with insights into global higher education standards.
Further Information
Find out what makes Birkbeck one of the world’s leading research universities.
Read more about the QS World University Rankings.