UC strengthens position among world’s top 500 universities in Times Higher Education Ranking
For the third consecutive year, the University of Coimbra (UC) ranks among the 500 best universities worldwide in the latest Times Higher Education World University Ranking.
For the third consecutive year, the University of Coimbra (UC) ranks among the 500 best universities worldwide in the latest Times Higher Education World University Ranking (THE WUR), published on Thursday, 9 October. Placed in the 401–500 bracket, UC is the highest-ranked Portuguese institution, tied with its counterparts in Lisbon and Porto.
The 2026 THE WUR evaluated 2,191 higher education institutions globally. The University of Coimbra (UC) achieved its best performance in the Research Environment area, ranking 233rd worldwide — an improvement of 16 places compared to the previous edition. This category assesses scientific productivity, research income and reputation.
“It is gratifying to see another prestigious international ranking place the University of Coimbra among the world’s top 500. This shows the positive progress we have made in recent years and, above all, encourages us to keep moving forward,” said UC Rector, Amílcar Falcão.
THE WUR 2026 assessed 17 performance indicators across five areas: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, International Outlook, and Industry. Globally, the University of Oxford (UK) secured the top position.