This week, QS World University Rankings were published, with the University of Cambridge moving up from third to second overall.

Among the top 15 universities in the world, Imperial College London and University College London were ranked joint 6th and 8th respectively. In total, 17 UK universities feature in the global top 100. The University of Edinburgh continues to climb the global rankings, finishing 15th overall.

The QS rankings are regarded as the most highly respected of the various international league tables. The methodology is based on employer and academic reputation, class sizes, research output and international staff and student numbers. For 2023, two new indicators were also included – International Research Network and Employment Outcomes – although both were unweighted, meaning they did not contribute to the overall score of a university.

Ben Sowter, director of research at QS, said: “Perhaps no British research success story has captured the public imagination to the extent that the University of Oxford’s role in developing the ChAdOx1 vaccine has – and quite rightly.

“Only UCL has produced a higher number of academic research papers over the last five years, and no British university’s research has enjoyed a higher impact, with almost 1.5 million citations yielded on Oxford’s papers.

He added: “As British higher education navigates its post-Brexit and post-pandemic future, it should continue to build on its ability to form effective partnerships and collaborations and attract global talents.”

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