I am excited to share with you that the University of Bath has been ranked 132nd in the QS World University Rankings 2026, rising 18 places from last year. This result places us firmly within the top ten per cent of universities ranked worldwide, reflecting our growing global reputation for research and education excellence.

This is the highest ranking the University has received since QS began publishing independent rankings in 2010. It also marks the third consecutive year that we have been ranked among the world’s top 150 universities.

The rankings, published today by global higher education analytics provider QS Quacquarelli Symonds, serve as a key benchmark used by students, employers and academic institutions to assess university performance worldwide.

Out of over 8,467 institutions evaluated, just 1,501 were ranked this year - including 90 from the UK. Institutions are assessed across critical areas such as research and discovery, employability and outcomes, learning experience, global engagement and sustainability.

I am extremely proud that we are on an upward trajectory in the QS World University Rankings, now positioned 132 worldwide. This growing international recognition builds on our strong national reputation and reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence - through impactful research and graduates who are in high demand around the world.

Expanding our global reach continues to unlock new opportunities for our university to fulfil its mission and make a meaningful difference on a larger scale.

I extend my sincere thanks to everyone in our community and our valued partners - your contributions have been vital to this shared success.

Highlights from our 2026 Results

The University achieved strong results across several indicators, showcasing the global impact of our research, the quality of our graduates, and our international outlook:

• Employer Reputation: Now ranked in the global top 100, up nine places this year, underlining how highly our graduates are valued by employers.
• Citations per Faculty: Up 77 places, now 10th in the UK and 173rd globally, reflecting the reach of our research.
• International Student Diversity: Ranked 156th in this newly introduced indicator, highlighting the diversity of our student population and its appeal to global learners.
• Sustainability: Ranked 127th globally. This indicator assesses the social and environmental impact of universities as centres of education and research.
  

This global recognition follows continued top ten rankings in the UK:

• 8th in the Complete University Guide 2026.
• 7th in the Guardian University Guide 2025
• 8th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025
• Ranked 9th in the Daily Mail University Guide 2025

These results reflect our consistent excellence across teaching, research, student experience and graduate employability - both nationally and globally.

If you wish to celebrate this achievement on social media you can find a graphic, and banners to upload to your LinkedIn profiles in this folder (details on how to do this can be found on the LinkedIn website).

Thank you again for all your hard work.

With best wishes,

Phil

Professor Phil Taylor Vice-Chancellor & President