Birmingham rises to 97th place in Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings
View of the Aston Webb buildings from the front
The University of Birmingham continues to rise amongst the world’s most prestigious research-intensive universities, climbing to 97th globally in the 2027 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Birmingham, said: “Our latest position in the 2027 THE ranking is further evidence that Birmingham is on the rise. This year we have improved in all major league tables and have been recognised as Daily Mail University of the Year, and The Times & Sunday Times runner-up for national University of the Year 2027.
"We are proud to be one of only a small number of UK universities ranked in the global top 100 of both the THE and QS world university rankings. Our dual top 100 status is thanks to the brilliance and dedication of our academic community who inspire future generations with their teaching and deliver world-class research that is tackling our planet’s most urgent challenges.”
Birmingham moved up one place from last year to rank 97th out of 2,297 institutions evaluated worldwide across five core missions:
Teaching and the learning environment.
Research volume, income, and reputation.
Research quality and output influence.
Knowledge transfer and industry innovation.
International outlook.
We are proud to be one of only a small number of UK universities ranked in the global top 100 of both the THE and QS world university rankings. Our dual top 100 status is thanks to the brilliance and dedication of our academic community...
The THE ranking continues a remarkable period of sustained upward momentum for the University of Birmingham across all major global and domestic league tables.
Internationally, Birmingham has improved its standing among the world’s best universities for the fourth successive year, rising eight places to 68th in this year’s QS World University Rankings – up 23 places since 2023 and joint 10th in the UK, its highest ever QS position.
Domestically, the University has achieved national recognition across major university guides and awards this year, including:
The Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027: Named Sport University of the Year 2027, University of the Year in the Midlands 2027, and runner-up for national University of the Year 2027, alongside rising four places to 12th overall in the national rankings.
Daily Mail University Guide 2027: Crowned Daily Mail University of the Year 2027 in recognition of its student outcomes, experience, and educational innovation, while climbing seven places to a record 13th nationally.
Guardian University Guide 2027: Risen 14 places from 28th to 14th nationally, placing firmly within the UK's top 15 institutions.
National Student Survey (NSS) 2026: Ranked first among Russell Group universities for overall student satisfaction and 10th nationally, securing a record overall satisfaction score of 87.4%.
Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2026: Shortlisted for four national awards, including the headline nomination for the prestigious University of the Year. The winners of the THE Awards will be announced in November.
Graduate Employability: Named one of the top two UK universities most targeted by the country’s leading graduate employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2026.
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The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, educators and more than 40,000 students from over 150 countries.
England’s first civic university, the University of Birmingham, is proud to be rooted in one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the country. A member of the Russell Group and a founding member of the Universitas 21 global network of research universities, the University of Birmingham has been changing the way the world works for more than a century.
The University of Birmingham is committed to achieving operational net zero carbon. It is seeking to change society and the environment positively, and use its research and education to make a major global contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Find out more about our approach to sustainability.
