Queen’s climbed in two major international rankings this year, rising 32 places in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and up 12 places in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.
On Sept. 30, THE published its 2027 World University Rankings in which Queen’s rose to rank 269th globally. In June, QS published its 2027 rankings, placing Queen’s 179th globally, rising up 12 positions since 2025.
Queen’s also ranked fourth globally in THE’s 2026 Sustainability Impact Ratings, rising from sixth place in 2025.
Times Higher Education Rankings
According to THE’s methodology for its World University Rankings, the publication evaluates research-intensive institutions based on 17 performance indicators. They are categorized into five core pillars of evaluation: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry.
THE’s Sustainability Impact Ratings, a separate category from its other rankings, assess how universities worldwide contribute to sustainability in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The ratings evaluate institutions across four areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
Queen’s ranked fourth globally, behind the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, Griffith University in Australia, and Western Sydney University in Australia. Queen’s remains Canada’s highest-ranked university in the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings.
“These improvements reflect the commitment of our faculty members, Deans and broader community to supporting an outstanding teaching, learning and research environment at Queen’s,” Queen’s said in a written statement to The Journal.
Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings
After rising 12 spots to 179th globally in the 2027 QS World University Rankings among 1,501 participating institutions, it marks the University’s fourth consecutive year of improvement in the rankings and its “strongest QS performance” in more than a decade.
Queen’s remains in ninth place among 30 Canadian institutions included in the QS rankings.
According to QS’s methodology, universities are evaluated through five lenses: research and discovery, employability and outcomes, global engagement, learning experience, and sustainability.
In a statement to The Journal, a QS spokesperson said Queen’s excelled in sustainability, ranking 59th globally; employment outcomes, ranking 102nd; and employer reputation, ranking 128th.
QS also said that while two Canadian institutions maintained their positions, approximately 66 per cent of Canadian universities dropped overall in the latest rankings.
Four Canadian universities achieved their highest rankings in more than a decade, including Queen’s, York University, the University of Windsor, and Toronto Metropolitan University.
The QS spokesperson said the rankings are an important indicator of the global reputation of a university and can potentially affect partnership opportunities, adding that rankings can also influence prospective students’ decisions about which university to attend.
What rankings mean for students
In a statement to The Journal, the AMS said it is motivating to see Queen’s continuing to move up in international rankings, noting how a greater international recognition could create more opportunities for post-graduate students.
While the AMS acknowledged that the improvement in Queen’s rankings are important, they emphasized that a university’s success should not only be measured by its ranking among other universities.
“Accessibility of supports and resources, affordability, and opportunities for student involvement are just as important in measuring a university’s success,” the AMS said.
For prospective students, the AMS believes that the University’s latest rankings can help improve students’ confidence in their decision to attend Queen’s. Meanwhile, for students that have already decided to attend Queen’s, they said the rankings can contribute to a sense of pride.
The Society said Queen’s placement in THE Sustainability Impact Rankings was “especially meaningful” because it reflects the ongoing commitments of both the university and student groups toward sustainability.
“It’s nice to see how our collective efforts are making a meaningful impact in contributing to a brighter future,” the AMS said.
Looking ahead, the AMS said it would like to see Queen’s build on their momentum and ensure its growing recognition is matched by continued investment in the student experience.
Tags
Queen's rank, Sustainability impact ratings, Times Higher Education
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